George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


A 

SERMON, 

ON  THE 

DOCTRINE  AND  DUTY 

OF 

SACRIFICING, 

FIRST  DELIVERED  AT  AN  ORDINATION  IN 

NEW-PROVIDENCE,  MECKLINBURG  County, 
NORTH-CAROLINA,  Feb.  2,  1792. 

AND  AFTERWARDS,  WITH  SOME 

JDDiriGNS  AND  ALTERATIONS, 
At  SALIM,  on  NOLICHUCKY, 

At  THE  OPENING  OF   A  COMMISSION   OF   THE  SYNOD  OF  THE 

Carolinas,  Sept.  3d.  1792. 


By  the  Rev.  SAMUEL  E,  M'CORKLE,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  Church  at  THYATIRA  and 
SALISBURY,  IN  Rowan  county, 
NORTH-CAROLINA. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

t 

Printed   bv    WILLIAM  YOUNG^  No.  52,  SEcoNB-STRaET, 

the  corner  of  ClIESNUT-STREET. 
MjDCCjXClV, 


THUL'.-"'  "^'-LECTION 


PREFACE. 

It  is  known  that  I  have  declined  the  repeated 
felicitations  of  friends,  to  publifh  a  fermon  on  edu- 
cation, whick  I  preached  about  nine  years  ago.  This 
I  have  done  partly  through  diffidence,  and  partly  to 
gain  time  to  read  and  think  more  on  the  important 
fubjett.  To  my  friends,  however,  it  will  appear 
ftrange  that  I  fhould  now  fend  another  fermon  to 
the  printer,  without  any  folicitations  at  all;  at  leaft 
without  any  until  I  had  previoufly  refolved  to  fend  it. 

The  truth  is,  I  was  conftrained  to  refolve,  from 
a  regard  both  to  my  own  character  and  to  what  I 
believe  to  be  the  truth;  and  conftrained  to  continue 
my  refolution,  from  an  additional  motive — the  re* 
queft  of  friends. — Conftrained  was  I  to  refolve  at  a 
critical  moment,  when  objections  againft  this  fermon 
and  criticifms  upon  it,  were  poured  upon  me  in  fuch 
thick  fucceftion  that  I  had  fcarcely  time  to  anfwer 
one  before  another  came ;  nor  to  anfwer  any,  but  in 
a  kind  of  hafty  and  extempore  manner,  neither  fully 
to  my  own  fatisfadion  nor  probably  to  the  full  fatis- 
fadion  of  thofe  that  heard  me. 

I  have  fmce  taken  time  deliberately  to  confider  the 
whole  fubjecl,  and  the  following  fermon  and  notes 
are  the  refult  of  my  mature  deliberation?. 

Thefe  are  now  publifticd,  not  to  revive  a  debate 
that  has  been  happily  fettled,  and  fettled  after  my 
announced  refolution  to  publifti — -a  refolution  from 
which  I  have  never  receded,  becaufe  it  has  always 
appeared  neceflary  to  lay  before  the  public  what  I 
believe  to  be  the  truth,  and  to  do  juftice  to  my  own 
chara<9:er  with  that  part  of  the  public  who  may  only 
have  heard  of  the  tranfaclions  at  Salim,  by  the  vague 

voice 


PREFACE. 


voice  of  fame;  and  who  may  at  the  fame  time  be 
better  acquainted  with  tbe  objedors,  than  with  my- 
felf.  They  will  naturcdly  conclude  that  there  mufl: 
be  fome  damnable  dodrincs  in  the  following  fermon, 
when  two  or  three  preachers  of  the  Gofpel  were  re- 
duced to  the  neceffity  or  oppofmg  it  in  public. 

To  repeat  the  tranfailions  at  Salim,  is  to 'me  a 
painful  talk  ;  they  TnaH  therefore  be  repeated  no  far- 
ther than  is  abfoiutely  necefiiiry  to  give  ecclaircife- 
ment  to  the  following  fermon  and  notes ;  and  in  the 
doing  of  this,  fads  fhali  be  mofl:  religioufly  regarded, 
with  as  few  obfervations  as  pofTible  upon  them. 

It  is  a  fad,  then,  that  a  commifTion  of  the  Synod 
of  the  Carolinas,  of  which  1  was  chofen  moderator, 
met  at  Salim  on  the  3d  of  September,  1792;  that  the 
commifTion  met  to  call  before  them,  on  bufinefs  im- 
material, to  be  mentioned,,  the  Prefbytery  of  Abing. 
ton  ;  and  that  the  following  fermon  was  delivered  at 
the  above  place,  on  the  above  day,  by  me  as  mode- 
rator of  the  commilTion. 

It  is  alfo  a  fad,  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Doke,  paf- 
tor  of  the  church  at  Salim,  and  member  of  Abington 
prell.ytery,  lollowed  by  two  other  members  of  faid 
prefoytery,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Balch,  fen.  and  jun.  did, 
on  his  fird  entrance  the  next  morning,  in  the  pre- 
fence  of  fome  mem.bers  of  his  own  congregation, 
and  of  other  congregations,  and  without  the  leaft 
previous  notice  to  me  given,  publicly  declare  that 
he  was  not  willing  to  proceed  any  farther  on  bufmefs 
with  the  commifTion,  until  he  would  know  what  notice 
the  commijfion  intended  to  take  of  the  fermon  preached 
yefterday. 

As  I  believed  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  fer- 
mon that  I  could  not  defend,  and  alTured  that  noth- 
ing in  it  could  be  noticeable  before  a  judicature^  even 
fuppofing  it  to  be  error,  I  immediately  demanded 
that  the  infmuated  and  implied  charge  fhould  be  fpe- 
cified.  When  the  objcdor  waved  this,  I  pronounced 
with  fome  indignation  (not  more  I  beheve  than  v;as 


PREFACE. 


proper)  that  I  would  have  that  redrefs  which  I  knew 
I  could  obtain.    This  had  its  effect.  •  ^ 

On  the  firft  recefs,  the  objections  were  fpecified 
and  exhibited  in  writing,  accompanied  with  a  requeil, 
that  he,  Mr  Doke,  might  be  permitted  to  inform  his 
own  people — the  people  of  Salim — that  he  held  no 
fuch  dodrines  as  I  did.  For  that  the  people,  (I  un- 
derftood  ail)  were  diiplealed  with  my  fermon,  and 
would  be  difpleafed  with  him,  diould  he  be  fdent  on 
the  occafion.    This,  faid  Mr  Doke,  is  all  I  wifh  for. 

As  this  was  a  retreating  from  the  ground  he  had 
firft  occupied,  refpecling  public  notice  xo  be  taken  by 
the  cenimiflion,  I  alfo  receded  from  the  refolution 
I  had  formed  to  obtain  judicial  redrefs  ;  and  the  ob- 
jections being  fpecified  in  publick,  were  publickly 
canvaffed  and  debated,  without  change  of  fentiment 
on  either  fide,  and  without  any  other .  effed  than  a 
few  verbal  explications  and  conceflions,  as  will  be  feea 
in  the  notes. 

On  additional  information  from  Mr  Balch  fen.  that 
the  people,  (I  underftood,  generally)  "  were  up  in 
arms"  againft  the  fermon  ;  on  fome  new  objections 
being  darted  in  public,  and  on  reflecting  how  my 
character  would  appear  at  a  di fiance — I  formed  and 
announced  my  refolution,  to  publifh  theferm.on,  and 
let  it  fpeak  for  itfelf.  This  appeared  the  only  rnea- 
fure  left,  and  this  is  the  firft  and  true  caufeof  its  ap- 
pearance in  the  world  ;  otherwife  it  would  never 
have  entered  into  my  thoughts  to  have  pubiiflied 
at  all. 

With  refpect  to  my  reafons  for  preparing  and 
preaching  this  fermon,  they  are  no  other  than  my  rea- 
fons for  preparing  and  preaching  any  other.  It  oiigi- 
nated  from  no  prejudice  nor  pique  at  either  Mr  Doke 
or  his  people  ;  to  ihem  all  I  was  almoft  entirely  a 
ftranger  ;  and  I  do  utterly  deny  that  any  thing  in  the 
fermon  or  defence  was  perfonally  pointed.  I  ufed  at 
Salim,  the  fame,  and  no  other  liberty,  of  free  enquiry 
and  inveftigation,  than  that  to  which  I  have  conitant- 
ly  accuftomed  both  myfelf  and  my  people.    I  have 


vi 


F      R     E     F     A     C  £. 


ever  aimed  at  the  avoiding  of  two  extremes  ;  one  is 
the  yielding  of  a  bh'nd  implicit  affent  to  the  opinions 
and  phrafe.^  of  antiquity  ;  and  the  other  is  an  ambi- 
tion to  be  ever  walking  in  the  untrodden  paths  of 
novehy.  It  is  neither  antiquity  nor  novelty,  but 
truth  that  I  feek  for. 

I  know  that  there  are  truths  which  people  may  not 
be  prepared  to  receive.  Nay  fubjeds  there  are  which 
they  may  not  he  prepared  even  to  invejiigate,  "  I 
have  many  things  to  tell  you,  fays  Chriit  to  his  difci- 
pies,  but  hitherto  ye  have  not  been  able  to  bear  them, 
neither  yet  now  are  ye  able.''  1  may  here  be  charged 
Avith  imprudence  in  coming  forward  fo  freely  on  the 
fubjcft  of  the  terms  of  communion,  which  was  both 
diredly  and  indiredly  the  principal  fubjedt  of  dif- 
cuilion  and  debate.  I  acknowledge  that  I  treated 
thisfubjedl  very  freely  at  Salim  both  in  the  fermon 
and  defence  ;  for  I  not  only  declared  the  fentiments 
that  may  be  read  in  the  fermon,  but  in  my  public  de- 
fence, I  faid  that,  with  the  confent  of  my  people,  I 
had  invited  both  a  Baptifl,  and  Methodifl  to  preach 
to  them,  becaufe  the  preachers  appeared  to  be  men 
of  education,  good  fenfe,  and  piety,  with  whom  I  hop- 
ed to  have  co  munion  in  heaven.  With  this  public 
declaration  Mr  Doke,  and  I  believe  fom^e  of  his  peo- 
ple, were  offended. 

The  defence  I  now  make  to  the  public,  for  this 
declaration  at  Salim,  is,  that  Mr.  Doke  has  publifh- 
ed  a  fmiilar  declaration  to  all  the  churches  under 
the  care  of  the  fynod  of  the  Carolinas,  otherwife  I 
would  have  afted  with  more  circumfpedlion  and 
care. 

On  the  terms  of  communion  Mr.  Doke  has  taught 
my  people,  and  his  own,  thefe  tv/o  fentiments. 

Fird,  That  in  matters  of  opinion,  nothing  fhould 
be  puflied  forward  publicly  into  the  face  of  any  ju- 
dicature v/hatfoever,  unleis  it  be  a  matter  ejfential  to 
^he  very  exiftence  of  the  chriftian  religion. 

Secondly,  That  all  chriftians  of  every  denomina- 
tion, that  IS,  all  who  appear,  by  their  lives  and  con- 


PREFACE. 


vii 


vcrfations,  to  be  follower «  of  Jefus,  may  have  com- 
munion with  one  another.  Thefe  two  noble,  gene- 
rous, catholic  fentiments  he  has  inculcated  on  my 
people  at  Thyatira  and  Salifbury. 

I  beg  iba\'e  to  cite  his  own  identical  words.  He 
has  publicly  declared  to  them,  "  That  no  one  thing 

be  propofed  as  a  term  of  communion,  unlef  •  in 

dodrine,  it  be  effential,  and  in  practice,  contrary 

to  fomc  cxprefs  command.**    And  again, 

That  they  who  fhall  at  lafl  commune  together 

for  ever  in  heaven,  may  very  juftly  hold  communi- 

on  with  each  other  on  earth." 

Mr.  Doke  will  be  at  no  lofs  to  underfland  my 
meaning,  when  he  (hall  have  read  the  paftoral  let- 
ter, page  14,  of  which,  the  above  is  a  quotation. 
This  letter  was  prepared  by  a  committee  of  the  fynod 
of  the  Carolinas,  read  over,  paragraph  by  paragraph, 
in  a  full  meeting  of  the  faid  fynod,  Mr.  Doke  being 
prefent,  and  by  him  and  the  whole  fynod  approved, 
and  thus  direded  to  all  the  churches  under  their 
care. 

Was  it  imprudent  then  ? — I  appeal  to  the  public — 
was  it  imprudent  to  teach  at  SaHm  as  he  had  done 
every  where  elfe  ?  For  I  have  only  attempted  to 
mark  thofe  dodlrines  that  are  eJfentiaU  and  to  diftin- 
guifli  them  from  thofe  that  are  not — I  have  merely 
pleaded,  that  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Chr'i/i  fhouid 
be  the  communion,  not  of feds^  but  faints.  How 
thefe  things  materially  differ  from  Mr.  Doke's  print- 
ed opinion  on  thefe  fubjeds,  I  cannot  underftand. 

Was  it  ftrange  then,  if,  on  the  terms  of  commu- 
nion, I  advanced  his  own  public  avowed  fentiments 
to  his  own  people  !  Was  it  ftrange  that  I  was  afto- 
niJflied — I  fay  nothing  about  the  feeling^,  and  faces  of 
the  commiffion,  when  the  charge  was  thundered  in  ! 
Was  it  ftrange  that  I  was  aftoniflied,  when  told  the 
next  day,  firft  by  Mr.  Doke,  that  his  people,  I  un- 
derftood  all,  were  offended  ^  and  afterwards,  by 


vm 


PREFACE. 


Mr.  Balch,  fen.  that  the  people,  I  again  under ftood 
all,  were  up  in  arms  againfl:  the  fermon. 

The  truth  is,  and  jufHce  requires  me  to  fay,  that 
thefenie  of  the  people  was  not,  and  could  not  have 
been  then  known.  The  opinions  of  a  few  indivi- 
duals had  been  miflaken  for  the  fenfe  of  the  congre- 
gation at  large.  This  miftake  I  did  not  then  know  j 
and  it  gave  my  mind  all  that  pain  which  [uty  mixt 
with  other pafhons,  could,  in  fuch  actuation,  make 
a  m.ind  fe  ,1.  For  the  people  I  had  compaiTion,  as 
for  a  people  maddened  into  a  blind  intemperate  rage, 
and  for  myfelf,  as  a  ftranger  almofl  without  a  friend. 

The  true  (tate  of  the  people  of  Salim,  and  of  thofe 
•who  attended  from  the  contiguous  focieties,  was  this. 
A  few  individuals  did  approve  both  of  Mr.  Doke's 
fentiments,  and  condudl  in  bring  matters  publicly 
before  the  commifTion.  Another  few,  perhaps  as 
many,  did  approve  of  the  fentiments  in  the  following 
fermon,  and  judged  that  the  diffufion  of  thefe  fenti- 
ments, efpecially  on  the  terms  of  communion,  might 
be  peculiarly  ufeful  to  the  churches  in  that  coun- 
try *  Another  number,  the?i  greater  than  either, 
or  perhaps,  both  the  former,  approved  of  Mr.  Doke's 
fentiments,  but  not  of  his  conduct  :  on  the  whole,  a 
violent  flame  was  raifed  ;  and  the  rafli  man  found 
that  his  public  oppofition  had  created  to  himfelf  as 
much  diflurbance  as  to  me  ;  and  that  he  was  likely 
to  be,  in  the  end,  in  a  worfe  fituation  tlian  myfelf. 

As  foon  as  I  knew  the  true  (late  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  Salim,  I  determined  to  facrihce  every  thing 
that  vvas  pcrjcnal  and  pofhble  for  its  peace,  as  far  as 
truth  v;ould  admit.  Both  in  public  and  in  private 
I  purfued  the  mofl  lenient  meafures  with  the  people, 

*  I  am  conrirmcd  in  the  opinion  tliat  this  number  was  not  then 
very  few,  IVom  a  requeft  made  before  I  left  that  country,  that  I 
would  not  recede  from  my  refoliition  to  publifh  the  fermon  ;  and 
alio,  from  authentic  information  fmce  had,  that  2CC  copies  m^y 
be  vended  in  Salim  and  tlie  vicinity  ;  and  that  more  might  be  dif- 
tributed  with  a  little  time  and  pains  through  the  Weilern  coun- 
try. 


PREFACE.  ix 

and  attempted  to  lofe  fight  of  myfelf.  ■  I  flattered 
mylelf,  that  though  my  charader  might  be  injured 
for  the  prefent^  yet  that  t^e  world  would  do  me  juf- 
tice  at  laJL  I  hoped,  that  could  the  fiame  then  be 
extinguilked,  the  people  mofl  prejudiced  would  be 
prepared,  by  time  and  refledion,  to  read  the  fermcn 
with  coolneis  and  candour.  I  attempted  to  view 
the  whole  matter,  not  on  a  fmall  fcale  on  which  all 
feemed  wrong  ;  but  on  a  large  one,  on  which  all  ap- 
peared right.  I  have  then,  and  often  viewed  the 
world  as  a  huge  overgrown  individual,  llov/  of  un- 
derflanding,  flow  of  apprehenfion,  but  of  paflions 
quick  and  ftrong  ;  fometimes  rafh  and  wxon'gfor  the 
prefent,  but  always  right  in  the  end^  in  judging  both 
of  men  and  things.  I  have  finally  obferved  that 
though  peace  and  charity  may  fuffer  in  colhfion  of 
fentiment,  or  inveftigation  of  truth  ;  yet  that  truth 
itfelf  will  never  fuffer  in  the  end,  by  any  inveiliga* 
tion  whatever. 

Indeed,  it  pleafed  the  God  of  peace  to  reflore  it  to 
the  people  much  fooner  than  the  mofl  fanguine  per- 
fon,  who  faw  the  height  of  the  flame,  could  have  ex- 
peded.  The  fudden  and  unexpeded  return  of  this 
peace,  fo  earneftly  defired  and  fought  for,  had,  after 
a  fcene  of  inexpreflibly  difagreeable  fenfations,  al- 

moft  overcome  me.  What  fhall  I  fay  on  this  fub- 

je6l  ?  May  I  not  be  permitted  to  fay,  that  I  attempt- 
ed, and  that  heaven  fucceed  the  attempt,  to  reconcile 
the  people  to  each  other,  and  to  their  paitor.  May  I 
not  be  permitted  to  fay,  that  I  enjoyed  the  exquifite 
pleafure — ihall  i  fay  triumph? — of  being  perlonal- 
ly  concerned  in  joining  the  hands  of  Mr.  Doke  and 
fome  of  his  offended  people  together  ? 

So  far  my  reafons  and  motives  for  preaching  and 
printing  this  fermon.  Would  it  not  have  been 
thought  an  extraordinary  fondnefs  for  publifhing, 
I  would  have  fent  it  along,  without  affigning  any  rea- 
fons art  all  :  But  thefe,  however  difagreeable  to  re- 
kte,  are  the  true  reafons,  and  I  cannot  conceal  them. 
A  revifion  of  the  whole  fubje£l,  and  fome  avoca- 

B 


X  PREFACE. 


tions,  have  prevented  me  from  publifliing  fooner. 
Befides,  I  did  not  feel  myfelf  difpofed  to  be  in  any 
great  hafle  about  the  matter.  I  have  felt  myfelf, 
through  the  whole  feries  of  this  affair,  ftanding  on 
firm  ground.  I  have  found  myfelf,  both  at  Salim 
and  elfewhere,  fupported  by  the  candid  and  judici- 
ous ;  and  have  been  allured,  that  my  charader  has 
not  any  where  laboured  as  much  as  I  once  appre- 
hended. 

With  refpeft  to  Mr.  Doke's  fentiments,  he  has  a 
right  to  enjoy  and  defend  them,  but  none  to  make 
them  terms  of  communion.  I  once  thought  of  omit- 
ting fome  of  the  objedions,  but  on  farther  thought, 
I  have  inferted  them  all  ;  for  though  fome  of  them, 
to  me  appear  frivolous,  far-fetched,  and  preffed  into 
the  fervice,  yet,  to  other  men,  they  may  appear  o- 
therwife.  I  have  inferted  all,  left  it  fliould  be 
thought  that  I  omitted  thofe  which  I  could  not  an- 
fwer.  Some  of  them  are  little  more  than  criticifms 
on  words. 

If  I  knew  Mr.  Doke's  motives,  I  would  candidly 
explain  them  ;  but,  I  verily  believe,  that  he  did  not 
know  them  himfelf.  I  believe  this,  becaufe  it  is  pof- 
fible  for  a  man  to  be  in  fuch  a  predicament ;  and 
probable,  that  in  that  predicament  he  really  was. 
All  that  can  caft  one  glimmering  ray  on  the  fubjed, 
is  his  own  words,  that  "  huge  prejudices  at  firfl  ex- 
"  ifted  on  both  fides,"  fpeaking  of  the  commiflion 
and  prelbytery.  Surely,  fome  prejudice,  I  believe 
not  perfonal,  mufl  have  beclouded  his  native  good 
fenfe,  in  attempting  publicly  to  interrupt  the  pro- 
ceedings of  a  judicature^  and  call  them  off  from  the 
bufmefs  they  were  fent  on,  to  a  bufmefs,  of  which, 
neither  they,  nor  the  Judicature  that  fent  them  had 
any  cognizance  at  all.  The  reider,  who  may  not 
underftand  the  conftitution  of  the  Prefbyterian 
church,  muft  here  be  informed,  that  all  judicial  de- 
cifions  on  dodrines  and  terms  of  communion,  are 
referred  to  the  general  aifembly  of  that  church. 
Something  muil  have  flrangely  bewildered  his  mind^ 


PREFACE. 


xi 


in  occupying  ground,  which,  as  to  terms  of  commu- 
nion and  church-cenfure,  could  only  have  been  ten- 
able in  the  days  of  Popifh  ignorance  and  perfecution. 
For,  the  candid  reader  being  judge — any  judicature 
in  this  age  being  judge — the  cool  and  unprejudiced 
Mr.  Doke  himfelf,  in  a  full  fynod  of  the  Carohnas, 
being  judge — is  there  one  thing  debated  in  the  fol- 
lowing fermon,  or  one  thing  done  by  me  at  Salim, 
which  is,  "  in  dod:rine  ejfential^  or  in  practice  contra- 
ry  to  any  exprefs  command,^* 

Prejudices  there  might  be  :  How  far  they  appear- 
ed in  any  part  of  my  condud,  I  appeal  to  the  people 
at  Salim. 

In  tranfcribing  for  the  prefs  I  have  altered  fome 
things  that  were  not  debated.  The  fubjecls  debated, 
have  been  feen  by  three  members  of  the  commiffion, 
who  have  authorized  me  to  fay,  that  they  are  fairly 
flated. 

That  the  "  partial  eviP^  attending  this  debate  may 
ilTue  in  "  univerfal  good and  that  the  publication 
which  the  debate  has  occafioned,  may  promote  peace 
and  truth  among  all  denominations  of  Chriftians,  is 
the  prayer  of 

The  author. 


P.  S.  SHOULD  the  fermon  be  thought  to  be  too 
long  for  one  reading,  the  fenfe  is  made  diftinct,  and 
the  reader  may  reft:  at  each  general  divifion. 

The  fermon  on  education  before  mentioned,  will 
be  pubKflied  as  foon  as  convenient,  fhould  this  meet 
with  a  favourable  reception. 


A 

S    E    R    M    O    N,  &c. 


From  Leviticus  IX.  ver.  7. 

And  Mofes /aid  unto  Aaron^  Go  unto  the  altar  and  of- 
fer thy  fin-offerings  and  thy  burnt-offerings  and 
make  an  atonement  for  thyfef  and  for  the  people  : 
and  offer  the  offering  of  the  people  ;  as  the  Lord  com- 
manded. 

BY  thefe  'Words  is  x\aron  introduced  into  the  full 
execution  of  his  facerdotal  office.  This  was 
not  effected  without  a  long  and  dehberate  prepara- 
tion. He  had  been  nominated  before,  and  now  he 
is  folemnly  inaugurated  by  a  feries  of  facrifice  and 
ceremony,  which  continued  for  the  fpace  of  eight 
days.  (3n  the  eighth  day,  both  priefl  and  people 
are  called  to  bring  their  refpedive  offerings,  and  as 
God  commonly  annexeth  a  promife  to  a  command, 
fo,  in  this  cafe,  he  promifes  to  fhew  them  his  glory, 
a  vifible  or  mental  view  of  his  divine  perfedions. 

*  AVe  have  come  here  this  day,  my  brethren,  both 
preachers  and  people,  to  bring  our  refpeclive  offer- 
ings to  God  ;  and  now,  what  and  where  are  they  ? 
Or  do  you  beheve  that  there  are  offerings,  demanded 
from  us  under  the  gofpel,  analagous  to  thofe  uiv 
der  the  law  ?  In  anfwering  this  queftion,  I  propofe, 

I.  To  take  a  view  of  the  offerings  which  God  hai 
demanded  in  all  ages, 

*At  the  ordination,  the  words  were  tlicfe,  Vv'c  have  come 
here  this  day,  my  brethren,  to  ordain  a  preacher  for  yoii,  that  he 
may  go  to  the  altar,  and  cfTer  for  himfelf  -and  you  ;  and  no\v 
whtre,  Sec* 


II.  The  names,  qualifications,  and  duties  of  thofe 
who  have  been  called  to  offer  them. 

III.  The  qualifications  and  duties  of  thofe  for 
whom  they  have  been  offered. 

Then  attempt  fuch  an  improvement,  as  the  fub- 
je£l  and  occafion  may  demand.    I  have  propofed, 

I.  To  take  a  view  of  the  offerings  which  God  has 
demanded  in  all  ages.  I  ufe  the  word  offering  ra- 
ther than  facrifice,  becaufe  it  is  a  word  of  more  gen- 
eral import.  A  facrifice  was  commonly  a  flaughter- 
ed  beail.  An  offering  might  be  of  the  fruits  of  the 
earth.  I  do  not  know  that  this  diftindion  is  criti- 
cally obferved  ;  but  in  general  it  is  true,  that  every 
facrifice  was  an  offering  ;  but  every  offering  was  not 
a  facrifice. 

In  taking  a  view  of  the  offerings  and  facrifices,  I 
fhall  mark  their  origins,  kinds,  and  defigns. 

Firft,  Their  origin.  This  is  a  fubject  both  im- 
portant and  perplexed. 

Some,  who  deny  the  reality  of  a  divine  revela- 
tion, and  believe,  that  man  now  is  as  he  was  firil 
formed,  have  faid  that  facrifice  and  offering  are  not 
of  heaven,  but  of  men  ;  that  a  pure  fpirit  would  ne- 
ver demand  fuch  carnal  rites ;  that  they  were  firfl 
offered  by  men,  not  as  atonements,  but  gifts,  or  ac- 
knov/ledgement  of  fovereignty,  as  of  fubjeds  to  a 
prince  ;  or,  as  a  feftival  of  friends,  partaking  at  the 
altar  as  at  a  common  table  ;  the  fire,  emblem  of 
Deity,  taking  his  part ;  and  the  offerer,  his  own. 

Others  there  are,  who  admit  the  truth  of  a  divine 
revelation,  yet  think,  that  facrifices  firft  obtained  a- 
mong  men,  and  were  afterwards  enjoined  by  hea- 
ven ;  that  they  were  not  defigned  to  pacify  the  Dei- 
ty already  benevolent  ;  bat  to  fandify  thofe  who  of- 
fered them,  by  filling  their  minds  with  reverence  and 
refpeft  for  God. 

For  my  own  part,  I  believe,  that  the  inflitution  of 
facrificing  is  originally  from  God^  -This  I  believe, 
becaufe  he  is  too  jealous  of  his  own  worfhip,  ever  to 
fuffer  uncomuiauded  rites  to  be  introduced.  Witnefs 


[    15  ] 

Nahab,  Abihu  and  Uzza.  1  believe  that  Abel's  offer- 
ing  was  by  command,  elfe  not  by  faith,  Heb.  xi.  4. 
I  believe  that  facrifices  were  too  well  adapted  to  a 
rude  untaught  age,  more  eafily  flruck  w^ith  a  vifible 
than  a  pure  mental  worfiiip,  to  have  originated  from 
men.  I  believe  that  they  ,  were  too  great  a  tax  on 
men's  property,  whofe  wealth  chiefly  confifted  in 
their  herds  and  flocks — too  much  the  fupport  of  a 
good  government,  of  which  men,  in  the  firfl:  ages, 
were  not  fond, — too  rational  in  their  principles.— 
too  univerfal  in  their  practice, — and,  with  refped  to 
the  different  periods  and  progrefs  of  fociety,  too 
much  a  wife  and  well-connecled  plan,  ever  to  have 
originated  from  men,  in  any  age,  much  lefs  the  mofl: 
rude  and  favage. 

Secondly.  With  refpect  to  their  kinds,  it  appears, 
that  they  were  various,  and  inftituted  in  various  pe- 
riods of  fociety,  founded  perhaps,  on  the  various  en- 
creafmg  relations  between  God  and  man,  from  the 
origin  of  the  individual  or  family,  to  the  birth  of  the 
organized  church  or  nation. 

I  will  not  fay  that  any  kind  of  offering  w^as  inftitiU- 
cd  in  Eden  ;  but,  I  believe,  that  one  kind  might 
probably,  and  with  propriety,  have  been  introduc- 
ed there  ;  and  I  affert,  that  two  kinds  came  forwards 
in  the  patriarchal  age,  one  of  which,  poffibly  origi- 
nated in  innocence.  To  thefe-,  two  more  were  add- 
ed under  the  Jewifh  difpenfation.  Thefe  will  be 
found  to  be  expreffive  of  all  the  relations  that  have 
ever  exin:ed  between  God  and  man,  in  any  age  or 
ffate  of  fociety;  and  confequently,  expreflive  of 
the  fms  and  duties  of  thefe  relations. 

The  firfl:  relation  exiflied  between  a  Creator  bene- 
ficent and  holy,  and  a  creature  happy  and  innocent. 
From  this  creature  is  demanded,  the  pure  and  men- 
tal facrifice  of  thanks  and  praife  ;  and  why  might 
not  this  facrifice  have  been  exprelTed  in  paradife  by 
a  peace-offering  of  the  choice  and  various  fruits  of 
the  earth  r  Senfible  objects  are  known  to  have  their 


[  ] 

influence  on  the  mind  in  its  purefl  acts  of  devotion 
on  eajth. 

Cain,  who  was  probably  an  infidel,  viewing  hini- 
felf  as  in  the  innocent  ftate,  came  to  the  altar  with 
fuch  an  offering.  "  Abel  by  faith  offered  a  more  ex- 
cellent facrifice" ;  becaufe  it  better  correfponded 
with  his  lapfed  flate.  The  peace-offerings,  or  thank- 
offerings  under  the  law,  were  moflly  of  iirft  fruits ; 
they  had  refped  to  innocence,  rather  than  guilt ;  the 
atonement  was  fuppofed  to  be  made  by  a  previous 
facriiice,  on  which,  or  after  which,  they  were  offered; 
and  they  were  offered  by  the  the  Nazarite,  whofe 
whitenefs  and  purity,  See  Sam.  iv.  7.  was  fuppofed 
by  the  Jews,  to  be  emblematic  of  innocence,  as  the 
pollution  of  the  leper  was  of  fm. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  there  were  but  two  kinds  in  the 
patriarchal  age,  the  burnt-ofiering,  and  the  offering  of 
thanks  or  peace.  The  burnt-oft'ering  was  appointed 
immediately  after  the  fall  ;  and  the  peace-offering 
re-appointed,  if  it  was  firfl  introduced  in  the  mno- 
cent  flate. 

The  principles  of  thefe  facrifices  probably  were, 
that  two  relations,  between  God  and  man,  inflantly 
took  place  on  the  fall  ;  firfl:,  the  relation  of  an  angry 
judge  and  a  condemned  criminal,  and  then,  that  of  a 
reconciled  judge  and  a  renewed  or  a  new  creature; 
whofe  refloration  to  the  innocent  ftate  was  begun  ;  or 
at  leaft,  that  God  was  in  Chrift  reconciling  the 
world  to  himfelf ;  not  imputing  their  trefpaffes  unto 
them.  The  firft  of  thofe  relations  was  expreffed  by 
the  burnt-offering,  the  lafl,  by  the  peace-ofiering. 

After  the  lirft  fm,  God  feems  to  fpeak  thus, 
*'  Hitherto,  O  man,  have  I  demanded  only  the  offer- 
ings of  peace  ;  but  now  there  is  no  peace,  for  you 
have  violated  my  law.  The  Garth  and  fruits  are  all 
accurfed.  Go  take  a  vidim  from  thy  flock;  lay  thy 
hand  on  its  head,  confefs  over  it  thy  defert,  lay  it  on 
my  altar,  and  burn  it  to  afhes ;  but  take  not  a  par- 
ticle to  thyfclf,  for  thou  art  utterly  unv/ortby.** 


[    17  ] 

Here,  by  the  way,  the  firfl  opinion  we  mentioned 
about  the  origin  of  facrifice,  mull  fall  to  the  ground; 
for  there  is  no  mark  of  friendfhip  in  any  rite  of  the 
burnt-olfering ;  nothing  but  tokens  of  divine  ven- 
geance— diftance,  grones,  blood,  death,  and  burning 
after  death. 

The  rites  of  the  peace-ofFering  were  different ;  for 
tho',  in  fome  cafes,  it  was  a  victim,  yet  this  was  to 
fhew  that  peace  came  by  blood.  It  was  commonly  of 
corn  or  wine,  and  then  laid  either  on  the  top  of  the 
burnt-oftering,  or  after  it,  on  the  altar,  See  Lev.  iii 
^5  to  fhew  that  atonement  was  the  foundation  of 
peace. 

This  circumflance  does  not  co  incide  with  another 
notion  of  facrifice  ;  I  mean  that  which  excludes  alto- 
gether the  idea  of  atonement,  and  fuppofes  that  facri- 
fice was  only  intended  to  fandlify. 

The  burnt  and  peace-offerings  were  frequently 
offered  in  the  days  of  the  patriarchs.  They  were  not 
confined  to  the  Hebrews,  but  common  to  mankind. 
They  continued  among  the  heathens  after  the  con- 
ftitution  of  the  Ifraelitifh  church  ;  and  burnt-offer- 
ings, in  particular,  fays  Philo,  were  offered  at  Jerufa- 
lem  in  behalf,  and  at  the  expence  of  Auguflus  Casfar. 
See  Jennings  Heb  :  Antiq. 

Thus  far  we  have  viewed  man  as  an  individual^ 
or  in  a  ftate  that  differs  but  little  from  it.  For  Adam 
and  Eve  were  one  flefh.  "  Their  name  was  Adam"; 
and  their  children  were  themfelves.  A  family  is  the 
fociety  of  nature,  rather  than  of  compad:.  It  is  a 
kind  of  tranfition  from  the  folitary  to  the  focial  fiate. 
The  individual,  as  Abel,  may  facrifice  for  himfelf ; 
and  the  parent  may,  like  Job,  rife  early  and  offer 
burnt-offerings  for  each  one  of  his  children. 

Hence  no  new  clafs  of  facrlfices,*  nor  offerers  were 
appointed  until  the  erection  of  a  nation  and  church 
in  IfraeL 

*  Here  comes tfie  firfi:  objeflion.  "This  fuppofes,  tliat  tiiere 
was  no  church  before  that  in  Ifrael,  confeciuentr/,  ao  ordinaj;ce8 

c 


c  i8  i 

When  the  Ifraelitilli  nation  and  church  \ver€  or- 
ganized at  Sinai,  two  new  relations  took  place.  God 
now  becomes  their  firll  magiilrate  or  king,  claims 
the  right  of  giving  laws,  proclaiming  war,  conclud- 
ing peace,  protecting,  rewarding,  and  punilliing.  Ke 
nominates  the  great  officers  of  church  and  flate, 
levies  a  tax  to  fupport  them,  and  becomes  their 
high-prieft  as  well  as  king. 

Hence  to  the  patriarchal  facrifices  were  fubjoined 
two  new  kinds,  unknown  to  the  Gentiles,  and  pecu- 
liar to  Ifrael.  I  mean  the  fin-offering  and  the  tref- 
pafs-ouering.  Moil  perplexing  have  been  the  dif- 
tindions  commonly  made  between  thefe  two  kinds  of 
facriiices.  Will  not  this  principle  explain  the  whole? 
Two  new  relations  then  began  to  exi(t  between  God' 
and  that  people,  exprelTed  by  thefe  two  claffes  of 
facrifxce,  which  were  offered,  the  one,  for  fms  com- 
mitted by  the  people  as  a  churchy  the  other,  for  na- 
tional political  crimes.  Read  with  thefe  diffinclions 
in  viev/,  the  4th  5th  and  6th  chapters  of  this  book 
Leviticus. 

On  reading  thefe  chapters  you  will  find  that  tho' 
the  outlines  of  civil  and  ccclefiaflic  be  diifind: ;  yet 
the  interior  lines,  as  might  be  expetfed,  lie  together. 
Sometimes  the  cafes  are  blended,  ceremonial  unclean- 
nefs,  for  example,  deprived  of  fociety  both  civil  and 

in  the  patriarchal  ages  ;  all  which  will  be  favourable  to  thofe  who 
deny  infant  baptifm''.  I  reply,  that  in  all  my  refearches  I  ailc,  not 
what  is  favourable  to  any  fed,  but  what  is  truth  ?  If  I  did  not  be- 
lieve that  infant  baptifm  could  be  fupported  on  patriarchal  princi- 
ples, I  would  inilantly  give  it  up.  To  me  it  «oes  not  follow  from 
the  prcmiles,  that  there  was  no  patriarchal  church  ;  but  that  it  was 
not  jfi'-ajj/Jj  nor  Chr'ifiian.  It  \vas  a  fojournlng  patriarch  building 
here  and  there  an  altar,  and  offering  facrifice  with  his  family.  Cir- 
cumcilion  was  inftituted  in  t!he  patriarchal  age,  for  the  fame  reafon 
that  baptifm  was  inftituted  in  the  Jcwini  difpcnfation  ;  to  mark 
the  future  menibers  of  the  Jew'ifh  and  chriiHan  chur^rhes,  and  to 
be  an  eafy  tranfitiori  for  the  church  paihng  from  one  Rate  to  the 
other.  Though  .in  the  wandering  flitpherd  ftate,  there  could  be 
little  congregational  worfhip,  yet  there  was  a  church  with  ilatutes, 
avvs,  (5cc.  See  Gen.  xxvi.  5. 


[    '9  ] 

religious.  Led:  it  fhould  be  doubtful  ^vhether  a  tref- 
pafs  or  fin-oirering  were  demanded  on  this  occafion  ; 
or  left  it  fhould  be  imagined,  that  both  were  requi- 
red— the  offering,  chap.  v.  6,  might  be,  and  be  called 
either  a  trefpafs  or  a  iin-oflering. 

Four  clalics  now  comprehend  the  whole.  Thofe 
are  the  burnt-offering,  the  peace-offering,  the  trefpafs- 
offering,  and  the  fin-offering.  All  the  reft  named  in 
the  law,  were  not  offerings ;  but  circuii\ftanccs  or  ma- 
terials of  thefe  four  kinds.  Sometimes,  thefe  kinds 
were  voluntary;  hence  called  free-will  offerings. 
Sometimes  they— (particularly  the  peace-offerings) 
were  w^aved  towards  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  ; 
fometimes  heaved  up  towards  heaven.  Hence  called 
wave  and  heave-offerings.  They  were  alfo  called 
meat  or  drink-offerings,  as  the  materials  were  of  flour, 
frankincenfe,  wine,  or  oil. 

The  meat-offering  that  was  alone,  chap  ii.  was  a 
fpecies  of  the  peace-offering ;  and  indicated  that^ 
fpiritual  nourifliment  which  arifes  from  peace  with;^ 
God  ;  and  the  jealoufy  offering,  fee  Num.  v.  \2\  was 
a  fpecies  of  the  trefpafs-offering.  For  marriage, 
though  generally  celebrated,  under  the  aufpices  of 
religion,  is,  notwithflanding,  a  civil  contract ;  and 
the  breach  of  its  laws  is  a  breach  of  the  laws  of  civil 
fociety. 

In  general  the  burntroffering,  and  thofe  allied  to 
it — the  fm,  the  trefpafs,  and  the  jealoufy-offering,  all 
had  refpect  to  the  kinds  and  confequences  of  fm 
while  the  peace-offering,  and  thofe  allied  to  it,  the 
feparate  meat-offering,  chap,  ii,  and  the  thank-offer- 
ing, all  had  refpeft  to  the  kinds,  and  confequences  of 
that  peace  which  followed  pardon.  But  of  this  more 
when  we  come  to  the  defigns  of  the.facrifices. 

Thefe  were  the  Jewim  facrifices  and  offerings, 
and  th.Q.{it^  perhaps^  the  principles  on  which  they  were 
founded. 

The  offerings  of  chriflians  are  not  altogether  the 
fame  ;  yet  they  are  analogous  to  the  Jcwifh,  afid  they 
are  founded  on  principles  perfectly  the  fame.  For 


[    20  ] 

as  individuals,  we  are  related  to  God,  either  as  an 
offended  judge^  or  as  a  recoriciled  Father  ;  and  with 
regard  to  fociety,  he  is  king  of  nations^  and  king  of 
faints. 

Our  facrifices  are  fpiritualj  though  reprefented 
by  Ezekiel,  chap  xi,  to  the  end,  as  Jewifli  and  corpo- 
real. Ye  alio,  fays  Peter,  i  Epift.  ii,  5,  are  built  up 
a  fpiritual  houfe,  to  offer  fp'witual  facrifices,  accepta- 
ble unto  God  by  Jefus  Chrift.  Who,  Ephef.  v,  2, 
hath  given  himfelf  an  offering,  and  a  facrifice  unto 
God,  for  a  fweet  fmelling  favour. 

Here  is  an  allufion  to  the  Jewifh  burnt-offering. 
Chriff  hath  given  himfelf  as  fuch  an  offering  or  facri- 
fice unto  God;  and  as  fuch  an  offering  or  facrifice 
muft  we  by  faith  o^tr  him  to  God  as  the  foundation 
of  our  peace  and  reconciliation  with  him. 

By  him  we  muff  offer  ourfelves  and  our  fervices  to 
God. 

Hence  the  exhortation,  Rom  xii,  i,  prefent  your 
bodies  a  living  facrifice  ;  livings  in  oppofition  to  the 
dead  f:icrifices  under  the  law  ;  and  prefented,  either 
entirely  devoted  a-  the  burnt-offering  v/as,  or  rather 
as  the  peace-offering,  prefentedas  a  gift  or  exprefiion 
of  gratitude  to  God,  for  the  facrifice  of  his  Son,  by 
whom  v/e  have  received  the  atonement. 

By  him,  therefore  let  us  offer  the  lacrifice  of  praife 
to  God  continually,  fee  Heb  xiii.  15,  that  is  the  fruit 
of  our  lips,  giving  thanks  to  his  name;  ver.  16,  but 
TO  do  good  and  to  communicate,  forget  not,  for  with 
fuch  facrifices  God  is  well  pleafed. 

Chriffians,  as  well  as  Jews,  are  members  of  fo- 
ciety. Jefus  is  fo  called  becaufe  he  takes  away  the 
fins  oihis  people,  God  hath  made  him  to  h^  ftn^  that 
3?,  Si  fin-offering  for  us,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  He  alfo  fuffered 
v/ithout  the  gate,  Heb.  xiii.  1 2,  as  the  fin-offering  was 
burnt  without  the  camp,  ver  1 1.  This  was  done  to  de- 
note that  the  church  would  not  always  be  confined 
to  the  Jewifh  nation ;  and  it  alfo  denoted,  that  as 
Chrift  had  been  a  fin-offering  for  the  fins  of  the  Jew- 


[     21  ] 

ifh,  fo  alfo,  would  he  be  the  fame  for  the  fins  of  the 
Gentile  church. 

I  do  not  know  that  there  is  in  the  New  Teftament 
any  allufion  to  the  trefpafs-offering.  Perhaps  the 
reafon  is  that  God  has  taken  down  the  theocracy. 
He  is  not  king  of  the  chriflian  nations  in  the  very 
lame  fenfe  in  which  he  was  king  of  the  Jewiflr  nation: 
but  he  has  allowed  his  people,  in  ail  ages,  to  be 
governed  by  laws  civil  and  ecclefiaftic,  by  thofe  laws 
which  vice  has  rendered  neceflary  ;  for  the  neccjjity 
of  all  government  is  founded  on  vice.\  Hence  it  ap- 
pears to  be  the  will  of  heaven,  that  now  as  well  as  in 
former  ages,  a  tax  be  levied  to  fupport  that  govern- 
ment, which  is  rendered  thus  neceffary  by  the  crimes 
of  men,  his  own  people  not  excepted.  And  hence 
the  continued  neceflity  of  offering  our  trefpafs  and 
our  fm  offering,  or  as  it  is  excellently  expreffed, 
2  Kings  xii.  i6 — our  trefpxfs-moncy^  and  our fin-money 
to  fupport  civil  government  and  religion.  With 
refpe^l  to  religion,  indeed  thefe  offerings  are  now  be» 
come  free-will-offerings ;  but  they  do  not  therefore 
ceafe  to  be  ju ft. 

3dly,  The  next  particular,  is  the  defign  of  the  facri- 
fices.  According  to  the  preceding  viev/  of  them, 
the  firfl  defign  was  to  exprefs  a  fenfe  of  gratitude. 
This  was  intended  by  the  peace-offering  in  all  its 

\  The  necejftty  of  all  go'uefnment  ii  founded  on  vice.  Thus  it  was 
written  ;  but  the  words  fpoken  at  Salem  were,  all governmsiit  is 
founded  cn  vice;  for  I  did  not  read  the  iermon,3nd  had  not  memor- 
ized it  terbatim.  The  fpeclfied  objeAion,  as  I  noted  it  from  a 
written  copy,  was,  "  this  fuppofes  all  rulers  to  be  vitious  or  wick- 
ed men.'*  When  this  objedion  was  anfwered  in  public  ;  another 
was  publickly  and  verbally  mentioned,  by  Mr.  Balch,  fen,  as  the 
real  objcdion  ;  that  is  that  "  there  is  a  government  in  Heaven  not 
founded  on  vice  or  wickednefs.'* 

To  the  firft  I  reply,  by  faying,  that  it  is  the  vices  of  men  that 
have  rendered  government  ntcelfary. 

To  the  fccond,  I  anfwer,  that  the  word  all  is  no  better  reflrided 
in  many  places  in  the  Bible  ;  that  is  no  otherwife  than  by  the  na- 
ture of  the  fubje(3:.  I  was  neitlier  fpeaking  nor  thinking  of 
government  in  heaven  ;  but  of  civil  and  eccl«fiaftick  government 
on  earth,  amiOng  men. 


[     ^2  3 

names  and  forms,  whether  we  originate  it  in  para-  • 
dife,  or  after  the  burnt-offering,  and  after  the  fall. 
R  is  never,  I  believe,  any  where  faid  to  make  atone- 
ment.   It  is  faid  with  the  burnt-offering,  Ezek.  xlv. 
17,  to  make  reconciliation  ;  but  this  refers  to  both' 
offerings,  and  expfeffes  atonement  as  well  as  peace. 
It  feldom  required  the  fnedding  of  blood,  and  then 
it  fhev.  cd  that  mercy,  fince  the  fall  was  procured  by 
blood  ;  but  it  wa«  probably  the  firfl  of  all  facrifices, 
not  cKpicifory^  but  eiichar[fiic ;  and  while  the  burnt- 
offering-^  was  emphatically  called  the  facrijice^  this  was, 
with  no  lef  emphafisj  called   the  gift.    See  Num." 
xvii.  li,  20.  Mat.'  v.  25;  Heb.  v.  '1, 

Here  I  obfen^e,  '  that  with  refpeO:^  to  the  peace- 
efFerings,  the  Deifi-icaf  notion  of  Picrifice  is  right. 
They  v/ere  coniidered  a"s  gifts^  and-  ufed  at  feflivals  of 
friends  :  but'of  all  the  facrifices  thi^'  is  by  no  means 
true;  ?fnd  herelres' the' rniffake  of  tliefe  men.  '  ' 
"■'F^r  another  de/ign  was, to  exhibit  the  atonement** 
This  was  the  defign  of  the  burnt-offering,  and  of  ail- 
that -w-ere  allied  to  it,^"''the  fin  and  trefpafs-offerings. 
All,  except  the  fin-offering,  in  one  cafe.  See  Lev. 
V. ' 1 1  - — 13,  were  hi  arlced  wit h  b I oody  without  fh e d - 
drng  of  which  there  is 'no'  iremiflion';  arid  the  very 
exception  aforefaid,  w^s  expiatory;  for  it  is  exprefsly 
faid,- ver.  13.  ta make  atonement. 

The  atonement  appears  to  have  had  refpc6l  to  the 
fir'ft  fiTi,  that  was  cottlmitted  By  the  firft  man,  and 
alfo  to  fin  now  perfonal  and  actual. "  The  burnt-offer- 
ing, fay  the  Jews,  w.as  for  fms  in  thought.  Thefe, 
weknov/,  are  j^^r/f^/W;  and  the  fin-offering  and  tref- 
pafs-offering  h2:d  rerpe6l  'to  aftual  fins.  '  And  it  ap- 
pears from  the  cafe  of  the  leper  after  cleanfmg,  and 
the  mother,  after  child-birth,  that  they  were  defigned 
to  femind  the  offerer  of  that  fin  by  which  pain  and 
death  has  paffcd  on  ail",  Rom.  v.  12,  why  elfe  fhould 
thd'e  offerings  be  brought  on  the  occafions  that  have 
beGEL  mentioned  ?  was  it  aclually,  or  in  itfelf,  a  fin 
ta  be  fickj  or  to  hear  a  child,  in  the  lav/s  of  wedlock  ? 


[    23  [ 

for  what  then,  in  theie  cafes  were  the  facrifices  and 
the  atonement  ? 

When  the  nation  was  viewed  as  an  individual^ 
fometimes  the  burnt-offering  was  offered  for  the  lin 
of  the  nation  :  not  fo  the  trefpafs-offering,  which  was: 
moftly  offered  for  the  fin  of  one  member  of  civil  fo- 
ciety,  againfi:  another.  The  fin-offering,  as  before 
obferved,  had  refped  to  the  churchy  and  therefore 
was  moftly  offered  for  fms  of  ignorance.  The  rea- 
fon  is,  that  men  are  frequently  more  ignorant,  and 
therefore  more  apt  to  err,  in  ecclefiaftical  matters, 
than  in  matters  civil  or  natural.  On  this  principle, 
God  has  been  far  more  particular  and  extenfive  in 
giving  the  ceremonial  than  civil  or  judicial  laws  ;  and 
on  the  fame  principle,  the  defcription  of  the  taber- 
nacle, See  Exod  xxv — to  the  end  of  the  book,  is  ten 
times  as  particular  and  extenfive  as  the  account, 
Gen.  i,  of  the  creation  of  the  univerfe.  See  Jen: 
Heb  :  Antiq'. 

I  am  fenfible  that  fome  have  objected  to  the  atone- 
ment, confined  the  deflgn  of  facrifice  to  fandifica- 
tion,  and  adduced  a  train  of  reafoning  to  ^ftablifu 
their  belief. 

I  ffiall  not  enter  into  their  objections  or  arguments; 
but  only  obferve,  that  the  different  rites  ufed  in  the 
facrifices,  the  different  kinds  of  the  facrifices,  and  the 
different  words  which  exprefs  the  different  effeds,  all, 
in  my  view,  prove  the  atonement. 

Had  the  facrifices  refpect  to  holinefs  alone,  and 
not  guilt,  why  were  fome  of  fruits  and  fome  of 
flaughtered  beafls  ?  why  place  the  offerer's  hand  on 
the  head  of  the  vidim  ?  And  why  kill  and  burn  it 
to  afhes  ?  If  all  this  indicated  the  jujiice  of  fo  treat- 
ing the  offerer,  in  order  to  humble  him,  it  indicated 
the  injuflice  of  letting  him  efcape.  For  the  law  cer- 
tainly demanded  his  death. 

Again,  had  the  facrifices  refpe6t  to  holinefs  alone, 
and  not  guilt,  why  different  words  to  exprefs  the 
different  efi^eCls  of  the  facrifices  ?  It  would  appear 
too  much  like  pedantry  to  lead  you  through  a  train 


C    M  ] 

of  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  words  on  this  fuhje6i:. 
Suffice  it  to  fay  that  there  are,  in  all  thefe  languages, 
two  clailes  of  words  which  refer  to  the  facrifices, 
and  which  are  equivalent  to  the  Englifli  words  jufti- 
fication  and  fandification,  hohnefs  and  pardon,  re- 
million  of  fm  and  purgation  or  cleanfing  from  it. 
See  Tit.  ii.  14.  i  John  i  9. 

And  let  it  be  farther  obferved,  that  thefe  different 
clailes  of  Tacrifices,  different  rites,  and  different  words 
have  all  induced  an  early  and  a  general  belief  of  the 
expiatory  and  vicarious  nature  of  facrifice.  The 
language  of  a  Gentile  with  refpecl  to  his  victim  was 
"  Anima  pro  anima,"  life  for  life.  The  life  of  the 
bealt  in  the  room  of  the  man.  The  Jews  had  the 
fame  idea  of  their  facrifices.  The  Apoflle  to  the 
Hebrews  has  furely  communicated  the  fame  idea, 
otherwife  I  confefs  that  I  cannot  under  (land  his  mean- 
ing at  all. 

A  third  defign  of  facrifice  was  fandification.  A 
fight  of  the  victim  groaning  in  death,  and  weltering 
in  blood,  the  folemn  ad:  of  laying  the  hand  on  its 
head,  in  one  cafe  forbidden  to  touch,  in  another,  in- 
vited to  partake — all  thefe,  and  all  the  other  rites, 
tended  to  fill  the  mind  with  an  holy  religious  awe, 
and  a  humble  devoted  love  to  God.    Idlenefs  is  the 
parent  of  many  a  crime.    The  facrificea  tended  to 
promote  the  honeft  acquifition  of  property  ;  and,  at 
the  fame  time,  to  check  the  inordinate  love  of  it. 
"  I  mufl  be  induftrious,'*  would  the  Ifraelite  fay, 
to  procure  the  firfi  and  free-will  offerings  ; .  and 
with  a  willing  mind  without  grudging,  muTl  I  ofier 
them.    And  if  I  try  to  know  and  do  my  duty,  I  can 
retain  to  myfelf  both  my  fin-offering  for  ignorance, 
^'  and  my  trefpafs-offering.    For  thefe  will  not  be  de- 
"  manded  unlefs  I  trefpais/' 

Granting  the  motive  to  be  none  of  the  beft,  this  war. 
making  the  bed  that  could  be  made  of  it ;  and  indeed 
a  motive  more  refmcd  v/ould  not,  generally  fpeak- 
ing,  fo  well  have  fuited  that  rude  a(^e.  Difmrereft- 


C  25  ) 

ednefjs  v/as  not  excluded  ;  while  inrereft  and  avarice 
were  prefTed  into  the  fervice  of  reiigion. 

The  lad  defign  of  facrifice  was  to  fupnort  civil 
government;  for  the  Levites  were  officers  and  jud- 
ges. See  I  Chron  xxiii  4*  The  Ifraelites  paid  no 
lax  but  their  tithes  and  offerings.  Except  the  burnt- 
otfering,  all  the  refl  were  directed  to  this  objed  ; 
and  even  of  the  burnt-offering,  the  iT:in  wms  the 
prieft's.  The  tithes  were  taken  fird  for  the  Levites, 
and  of  that  tithe,  another  for  the  priefts  ;  a  third,  or 
poor  tithe,  was  for  lirangers,  widow^S5  and  fatherlefs. 
The  tithe  of  two  years  w^as  by  the  Levites  eaten  at 
Jerufalem.  The  tithe  of  a  third  year  was  eaten  by 
the  Levite,  fatherlefs,  v/idow,  and  Granger  at  home. 

Some  have  faid  that  the  half  fhekel  enjoined  by 
Moles,  Exod.  xxx.  13,  and  demanded  from  Chriii) 
Matt.  xvii.  24.  was,  till  the  time  of  theMa  ccabees,  on- 
ly an  occahonal  tax  :  and  that  David,  by  ordering 
tl'ie  people  to  be  numbered,  intended  to  bring  it  for- 
ward. If  this  be  fo,  his  crime  was  complicated— ava- 
rice as  well  as  ambition. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  no  civil  tax  w^as  paid  till  the  days 
of  the  kings.  Their  militia,  and  judges,  who  were 
not  Levites,  all  fupported  themfelves. 

Some,  on  this  principle,  have  vindicated  Paul,  See 
Aciis  xxi,  for  offering  the  facrifices  at  Jerufalem, 
which,  in  other  plac£s, -he  had  preached  down.  The 
typical  defign  of  thefe  facrifices,  fay  they,  had  been 
gained  by  the  coming  of  Chrifl ;  the  j^£?/i//V^7/  defign 
was  not  gained.  The  facrifices  fupported  that  rovern- 
ment  v/hich  God  had  not  yet  taken  down  ;  and  there- 
fore, there  was  no  more  impropriety  in  offering,  at 
that  time,  a  facrifice  at  Jerufalem,  than  in  paying  a 
civil  tax  at  Athens  or  Rome.* 

IL  The  fecond  general  divifion  of  the  fubje^l,  was 
to  fhew  the  names,  qualifications^  and  dutiei>  of  thole 
called  to  offer  the  facrifices. 

*  Juflice  requires  mc  to  owr>  ir.yfc4f  indebted  to  ti  e  Rev- 
David  Ker,  of  Fayetteville  in  this  Hate,  for  fome  of  the  thoU5[hts, 
cfp:ciallY  ii:  the  two  laft  particulars,  oa  facrince. 

D 


(     26  ) 

They  have  been  called  patriarchs,  kings,  priefts, 
Levites,  Icribes,  lawyers,  or  rather  dodors  of  the 
law,  apoftles,  evangelifts,  deacons,  elders,  &c.  In 
the  firft  ages,  the  holy  office  was  continued  by  lineal 
fucceffion  ;  in  the  later  ages,  it  has  been  open  to  any 
qualified  to  execute  it. 

The  names  exprefs  qualifications  and  duties,  and 
the  whole  is  governed  by  that  all-governing  circum- 
ftance,  tht  progrefs  of  fociety^  or,  if  you  would  rather, 
fay  the  providence  of  God. 

For  fuppofe,  that  there  be  but  one  man  on  the 
face  of  the  earth,  that  man  is,  not  of  men,  but  of 
God,  ordained  a  prieft  to  offer  the  facrifice  of  thanks 
and  praife.  No  need  of  creeds,  or  formulas  or  confe- 
crations,  at  his  ordination. 

Suppofe  again,  that  an  Eve  be  taken  from  his  fide, 
ftill  they  are  but  one  flefli  ?  "  Their  name  is  Adam.' 
Another  thank-offering  is  demanded ;  and,  on  the 
birth  of  a  Cain,  another  from  the  patriarchy  or  fa- 
ther of  the  family. 

Becaufe  men  are  more  fond  of  power  than  reli- 
gion, therefore,  petty  kingdoms  arofe  before  organ- 
ized churches,  and  the  rife  of  thefe  kingdoms  would 
naturally  produce  a  change  in  the  priefthood.  For 
fuppofe,  that  a  patriarch  by  conqueft,  or  otherwife, 
formed  a  few  families  into  a  kingdom  ;  here  exifts 
a  new  relation,  and  hence  the  fins  of  fovereign  and 
fubje^t.  Now  w^ho  fiiall  offer  facrifice  for  thefe  fins  ? 
Doubtlefs,  the  man  w^ho  is  at  the  head  of  the  nation. 
On  this  very  principle  kings  were  every  where  the 
firft  priefts  for  the  public  ;  and  the  fame  word,  co^ 
hen^  is  rendered  either  prieil  or  prince,  becaufe  the 
prince  either  directed  or  offered  the  facrifices  of  the 
people. 

On  this  fame  principle,  Mofes,  who  was  king  in 
Jefhurun,  that  is,  in  Ifrael,  or  the  nation  of  thejuft, 
Deut.  xxxiii.  c.  direcled  the  public  facrifices  of  Si- 
nai, and  offered  all  that  were  offered  for  feven  days, 
at  the  confecration  of  Aaron. 


C   27  ) 

Suppofe  now,  that  a  church  be  erefted,  or  orga- 
nized, and  that  national  affairs  engr^fs  the  attention 
of  the  prince.  What  is  to  be  done  at  this  rtage  of 
fociety?  Why  Mofes  lhall  fay  unto  Aaron,  "  Go  unto 
the  altar,  and  offer  thy  fin-offering,  and  thy  burnt- 
offering,  and  make  an  atonement  for  thyfelf  and  the 
people  ;  and  offer  the  offering  of  the  people,  as  the 
Lord  commanded."  Something  like  this,  has,  at  a 
certain  ftage  of  fociety,  been  done  in  almofl  ail  na- 
tions ;  and  this  is  the  firfl:  account  of  any  formal 
ordination,  and  a  clafs  of  men  entirely  devoted  to 
the  altar. 

This  clafs  among  the  Ifraelites,  were  called  prieffs 
and  Levites,  and  their  qualifications  and  duties  were 
couched  in  the  ceremonies  by  which  they  were  or- 
dained. They  were  hereditary  as  kings  ;  and  their 
fervice  confined  to  the  temple  at  Jerufaleni.  This 
was  to  fhut  the  flood-gates  of  idolatry,  which  would 
have  burff  open,  in  that  early  age,  had  the  prieft- 
hood,  like  Jeroboam's,  been  open  to  all^  and  facri- 
fice  offered  in  every  corner  of  the  land. 

Indeed,  all  thefe  precautions  were  infufficient.  I- 
dolatry  prevailed,  and  God  corrected  it  by  a  capti- 
vity of  70  years.  This  introduced  a  new  order  of 
clergy,  of  the  ceremonies  of  whofe  ordination  we 
are  not  informed.  They  were  called  fcribes  and 
lawyers,  or  do6tors  of  the  law,  becaufe  they  were 
employed  in  writing  and  explaining  the  law  of  God 
to  the  people.  This  became  necelTary,  becaufe  the 
people  had  learned  to  fpeak  the  Chaldee,  and  the 
fcriptures  were  in  Hebrew,  another  language,  or  ra- 
ther, another  dialed.  Thefe  fcribes  were  not  here- 
ditary, as  the  prieffs.  They  offered  the  offerings  of 
the  underffanding  and  heart ;  and  were,  throughout 
the  nation,  the  teaching  clergy,  as  the  priefls  were 
flill  the  facrifichig  clergy  at  Jerufaleni. 

I  know,  that  a  parallel  between  the  JewiHi  and 
Chriftian  churches,  has  been  injurious  to  the  latter, 

*  See  Mofheim,  middle  of  2d  century. 


(    *8  ) 

and  yet,  \n  fome  particulars,  there  may  be  a  paralel. 
1  will  take  of  them,  for  priefts  and  for  Levites,  unto 
nie,  faith  the  Lord,  If.  Ixvi.  21.  This  is  a  prophecy 
of  the  ChriiHan  church,  and  perhaps,  that  in  it  there 
fhould  be  two  clalTes,  fimilar  to  thofe  of  the  Jewifh. 
If  lo,  we  may  probably  find  them  in  the  bifliop  and 
deacon,  PhiL  i.  i.  and  in  i  Tim.  iii,  both  inveited 
by  prayer,  and  impofition  of  hands. 

On  this  fubied,  I  will  not  be  pofitive.  It  has  ap- 
peared the  eafiefi:  way  to  underlland  the  office  of  the 
ruhng  elder,  for  it  is  only  to  fuppofe  that  the  bufi- 
nefs  of  governing  has  been  added  to  the  didribution 
of  the  charities  of  the  church  :  as  the  bufmefs  of"  of- 
licers  and  judges,"  in  the  Levites,  was  added  to  their 
firll  bulinefs,  of  helping  the  priefts  at  the  altar.  In- 
deed, there  is  fome  likenefs  in  their  ordination  and 
names,  if  both  were  called  elders,  and  perhaps,  in 
their  afii fling  to  govern. 

And  though  the  Levite  was  hereditary,  and  could 
never  become  the  prieft,  yet  the  deacon,  who  was 
elective,  lee  Act^  vi.  might  obtain  the  ka Ion  l?af.b?2WJ2, 
the  good  degree,  i  Tim.  iii.  13,  and  become  the 
preacher  or  elder,  by  a  new  ordination,  and  fo  la- 
bour in  doclrine.  See  1  Tim.  v.  ly. 

This  fubjecl  is  difputed  and  doubtful  ;  but  be  it 
as  it  may,  we  fuppo{e,  on  the  whole,  that  firft  the 
individual,  then  patriarch  and  king,  then  prieff  and 
Levite,  then  fcribe  and  teacher  of  the  law  ;  and  now 
birnop  and  deacon,  or,  perhaps,  elder,  have  been  the 
more  ftcited  officers  at  the  altar  :  and,  that  prophets 
aiid  wife  men.  or  men  who  had  not  the  fpirit  of  pro- 
phecy, ripodles,  erangelius,  exhorters,  and  perhaps 
thereli,  fee  Rom.  xii.  6,  1  Cor.  .xii.  aS.  Eph.  iv. 
5  1.  Y/cre  men  lefs  ftated,  and  n-ore  extraordinary, 
called  forth  as  the  fi:ate  and  exigency  of  i'ociety  de- 
manded. 

3d.  The  fcrond  particulv:ir  is,  the  qualifications  of 
thofc  called  to  the  altar* 

The  qualifitatio^^s  are  faid  to  be  natural  and  reli* 


(    29  ) 

It  is  common  to  begin  with  natural  qualifications, 
arifmg  from  capacity  and  temper.  But,  except  in 
cafe  o[  Tome  natural  impediment,  idiotiTm,  or  infan- 
ity,  is  not  this  abfurd  ?  How  improper  to  fpeak  of 
natural  qualifications,  when  the  priefthood  was  be- 
reditary^  and  bodily  blemiflies  only  precluded  from 
the  altar,  not  priefthood  ?  Is  it  much  lefs  abfurd 
now?  For  my  own  part,  I  have  always  obferved, 
that  a  moderate  fhare  of  natural  ability,  united  with 
any  temper  whatever,  when  early  and  religioufly 
cultivated,  will  form  the  tifeful  minifter  of  religion  ; 
otherv4fe,  the  moft  fuperiative  pov/ers  have  been 
attended  with  thofe  eccentric  flights,  that  render 
them  ufelefs  or  worfe  than  ufelefs  in  the  church. 

You  have  often  heard  that  temper  defcribed  which 
is  fuppofed  to  beht  a  preacher  of  the  gofpel.  For 
my  own  part,  I  believe,  that  all  tempers,  however 
diverfe  from  each  other,  are,  neverthelefs,  in  two 
refpefts,  nearly  equal.  They  are  fo,  as  to  perfonal 
happinefs,  and  ufefulnefs  to  fccictv^  as  far  the  capaci- 
ty extends ;  for  this  equality  does  not  neceifarily 
fuppofe  an  equality  of  capacity.  The  happinefs  may 
be  equal,  where  the  capacity  is  unequal ;  and  the 
fervice  done  to  fociety  may  be  faid  to  be  equal,  when 
each  one  alike,  fills  up  the  circle  in  which  provi- 
dence has  placed  him,  whether  that  circle  be  great 
or  fmall. 

The  truth  is,  each  temper  has  its  ov/n  ad^janiage^ 
and  its  own  defeat.  And  the  rafh  and  daring  fpirit 
is  as  neceffary,  on  a  large  fcale,  in  the  church,  as  the 
cautious  and  timid.  Peter  is  as  neceiiary  as  John, 
and  Luther  as  Melancfon. 

Inflead,  therefore,  of  allying  what  is  the  natural 
capacity  or  difpofition,  I  would  enquire,  Have  early 
religion  and  early  education  come  forward  to  enlarge 
the  capacity,  and  fupply  the  defects  of  the  natural 
difpofition  ? 

The  qualifications  may  be  'reduced  to  thefe  tvv-o 
things — early  religion — and  early  education. 


C  30  ) 

I.  Early  religion.  Religion  is  neceflary  to  the 
miniitry,  and  early  religion  is  defireable.  Religion 
is  more  than  the  ftudy  of  divinity.  It  is  not  dodrine 
alone,  but  feniiment  and  praBice,  Like  friendfhip,* 
it  s  only  to  be  underftood  where  it  is  felt.  It  is  the 
proper  knowledge  of  God  imprefled  on  the  heart, 
and  cxprefied  in  a  correfponding  walk  with  him. 

Rehgion  has  always  been  required  in  the  prieft- 
hood.  By  faith  Abel  offered  his  offering.  To  be 
juftified  and  fandified  is  the  whole  of  religion,  and 
both  are  here  required  in  Aaron.  The  charatler  of 
Ezra  is  excellently  drawn,  and  plainly  includes  re- 
ligion, fee  chap.  vii.  10,  That  he  had  prepared  his 
heart  to  feek  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  to  do  it,  and 
to  teach  in  Ifrael.  The  apoflle  Paul,  confirms  the 
fame  truth,  2  Cor.  iv.  6,  "  God,  who  commanded  the 
light  to  fhine  out  of  darknefs,  hath  fhined  into  our 
hearts — the  hearts  of  us,  the  apoftles — to  give  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jqfus 
Chrift.^' 

It  is  true,  that  thepriefls  of  Ifrael  were  hereditary, 
but  ftill  religion  was  demanded  ;  and  it  is  alfo  true, 
that  Judas,  a  bad  man,  was  among  the  apoftles  ;  but 
this  will  not  pru\e,  that  he  ought  to  have  been  among 
them. 

The  knowledge  of  both  God  and  man  is  neceffary 
in  the  preacher.  A  bad  man  cannot  have  the  right 
knowledge  of  either.  He  can  only  know  his  owil 
part  of  mankind.  He  cannot  conceive  how  far  re- 
ligion will  form,  the  good  man's  heart ;  how  much 
Job  will  be?.r  and  not  curfe  God.  Of  this,  Satan  ei- 
ther was,  or  pretended  to  be  ignorant.  The  good 
man  can  know  it  all.  In  his  owm  bread  are  the  ma- 
terials, both  of  the  evil  and  the  good  ;  and  from 
thefe  he  can  derive  the  knowledge  of  all. 

I  fay  not,  that  bad  man  are  always  ignorant  of 
the  world  ;  or  that,  good  men  always  know  it :  but 
I  fay,  that,  capacity  and  opportunities  being  equal, 
the  good  man  may  know  the  molt. 

*■  To  Fordycc  I  acknowledge  myiVif  nidebted  for  this  excel- 
lent thought. 


(    3«  ) 

keligion  may  alfo  afiift  in  the  knowledge  of 
books.  That  fpirit  that  ilhiminated  the  mind  of 
Bezaleel,  fee  Exod.  xxxi.  may  aid  a  pious  youth  to 
furpafs,  in  human  knowledge,  his  impious  or  lefs  pi- 
ous companion.  Religion  may,  therefore,  fubferve 
education  ;  which  is  the 

Second  thing  neceflary,  and  has  refpedt  to  books 
and  men.  Religion  is  the  fame  in  all  ages.  Edu- 
cation  varies  as  the  ftate  of  fociety.  Abel  had  but 
one  imperfed  language,  few  prophecies,  a  fliort  fyf- 
tem  of  divinity,  and  a  fhorter  fyftem  of  fcience. 

Aaron,  and  his  fons,  polfeffed  more  materials  of 
knowledge  than  Abel,  or  the  patriarchs.  When  the 
temple  was  eredled  at  Jerufalem,  mufic  becam.e  a  part 
of  the  bufmefs  of  the  Levites  ;  as  it  was  before,  and 
fUll  continued  to  be»  the  bufmefs  of  the  fons  of  the 
prophets.  In  addition  to  mufic,  was  the  fludy 
of  hiftory  as  far  as  the  refpeclive  times,  the  receiv- 
ing and  ftudy  of  prophecies,  the  ftudy  of  divinity, 
or  the  law  and  gofpel,  and,  after  the  captivity,  the 
ftudy  of  the  Hebrew  and  Chaldee. 

The  knowledge  of  divinity  included  the  knowl  dge 
of  the  civil  or  judicial  and  ceremonial  laws,  which, 
in  that  ft'ate  of  fociety,  were  added  as  appendages  to 
the  moral  law. 

The  teachers  in  the  fchools,  were  Samuel,  Elijah, 
Gamaliel,  Hillel,  Samai,  &c.  fee  Prideaux  Connedl, 
ap.d  at  Jerufalem,  probably  the  aged  Levites,  who  af- 
ter their  50th  year  retired  from  the  labour  and  fa- 
tigue of  the  altar. 

Elere  we  may  remark,  that  the  bufmefs  of  both  the 
teachers  and  taught,  was  encreafing  in  every  llage 
of  fociety.  Ezra  had  teif  times  as  much  to  know  as 
Aaron.  Happy  was  it  for  the  fcribes  and  doftors  of 
the  law,  that  they  were  exempted  from  the  laborious 
and  mechanical  exercifes  of  facrificing  daily  at  the 
national  altar. 

It  was  neceffary,  that  the  apoflles,  in  their  ftage  of 
fociety,  fhould  be  pofTefTed  of  m.ore  knov/ledge  and 
wifdom  than  could  be  obtained  in  the  common  way. 


C  32  ) 

They  were  to  be  fent  to  many  difierent  and  didant 
nations,  to  be  brought  before  kingSj  and  to  preach 
new  doftrines  to  all.  Hence  the  gift  of  tongues,  ex- 
traordinary wifdom  and  courage,  miracles  and  o-ifts 
of  healing. 

Thefe  extraordinary  gifts  have  ceafed  with  the  oc- 
cafion  that  called  for  them  :  but  the  common  quali- 
ficarions  are  now  more  extenfive  than  ever.  Befides 
other  things,  *  chrifiianity  contains  the  hiftory  of 
religious  opinions,  cuftoms,  and  inftitutions  which 
are  not  now  as  eafily  underflood  as  formerly.  The 
hiflory  of  the  canon  of  the  fcriptures  is  a  lubjeci:  of 
confiderable  extent,  and  fhould  be  well  underftood 
by  every  preacher.  For  Vv^hoever  undertakes  to 
preach  thedoCtrines  of  the  fcriptures,  ought  certain- 
ly to  be  able  to  defend  them. 

The  preacher  ought  to  polTefs  fome  degree  of  the 
knowledge  of  three  or  four  languages,  in  order  per- 
fed>ly  to  under ftand  his  own.  He  ought  alfo,  to 
poffefs  a  general  knov/ledge  of  the  fciences,  for  they 
are  all  connefted,  and  no  one  can  be  fully  underftood' 
apart.  He  ought  to  be  particularly  acquainted  with 
the  principles  of  moral  phiiofophy,  and,  above  ail 
things,  elfe  he  fnould  well  underftand  his  Bible.  Hap- 
py, thrice  happy  we.  that  we  are  not,  as  the  fcribes 
were,  employed  in  the  mechanical  work  of  tranfcrib- 
ing  it.  Let  us  blefs  our  God,  that  this  is  the  read- 
ing and  reafoning  age  of  the  world. 

Great  indeed,  Ihould  now  be  the  powers  and  pi- 
ety of  that  man,  in  whom  we  v/ould  difpenfe  v/ith  a- 
ny  part  of  the  common  qualifications,  v/hich  arc  re- 
quiiite  in  this  enlightened  ssra  of  mankind. 

When  w^e  confider  the  fail  extent  of  knowledge, 
human  and  divine,  we  ihall  fee  the  neceiTity  of  both 
early  rehgion  and  early  education  ;  one,  for  the  ob- 
taining of  divine,  and  both  for  the  acquifition  of  hu- 
man knowledge. 

*  See  mere  on  this  rabject,  in  Pa]er>.MoralP]u]oiGpa  . , 


(    .13  ) 

Early  religion  Is  neceffary  to  enlarge  the  capacity, 
give  orthodoxy  of  lentiment,  govern  the  temper, 
and  check  the  pride  either  of  having  a  good  educa- 
tion, or  of  being  able  to  harangue  without  it. 

Early  education  is  necelfary  to  prevent  enthufiafni 
or  fuperftition  in  religious  things ;  and  to  give  a 
habit  of  reafoning,  and  a  faciHty  of  exprelling  our 
fentinients  or  any  fubjed  whatever. 

When  religion  or  education  come  late,  the  liabit 
of  ftudyis  commonly  wanting  ;  the  paiilons  and  cip- 
petites  have  gotten  the  ftart  of  reafon  and  religion  ; 
and  when  old  temptations  and  companions  meet, 
they  fometimes  produce  a  line  of  condud  which 
greatly  difgraces,  not  the  miniftry,  but  minifier  of 
the  gofpel.  I  except,  from  this  remark,  fome  who 
have  not  previoufly  contracted  habits  of  vice ;  or 
thofe  on  whofe  hearts  hath  been  wrought  an  extraor- 
dinary work  of  divine  grace.  Otherwife,  the  man 
luho  was  intemperate  before  may  be  intemperate  again^ 
after  both  his  converfion  to  God  and  confecration  to  the 
altar. I 

Here  came  forward  another  obje^ion.  Inftead  of  the  above 
■written  fentence,  it  was  faid  at  Saliin — the  man  wiio  was  a  drui.k- 
ard  before  may  be  &c. — The  obje£lion  was,  that  drunkards  fliall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  fuch  were  fome  of  you  ;  but 
ye  are  wartied  ;  but  ye  are  fandified,  &c.  J^ee  i  Cor.  vi.  1 1. 

The  word  drunkard  was  not  in  the  written  f^-mon,  and  on  a  mo- 
ment's reflection,  it  was  given  up.  Not  becaufe  it  does  not  exprefii 
habit,  for  it  involves  that  idea  ;  but  becaufe  it  commonly  cxprclfcs 
the  habit  of  a  bad  man,  but  it  will  not  thence  follow  rhat  a  good 
man  canot  have  bad  habits,  or  fin  habitually  ;  call  it  what  you  will. 
This  is  the  matter  in  debate.  As  the  words  are  not  Scriptural j  I  (hall 
inveftigate  them  without  ceremony. 

Tliey  who  underftand  language  know  that  the  word  hahituallf 
is  an  adverb,  and  exprefles  the  manner  of  a8ion.  To  fin  habitu- 
ally then,  is  to  fin  after  the  manrier  of  a  habit,  or  from  a  hi:bit,  as  a 
motive  or  principle  of  action. 

Now  what  is  a  habit  ?  It  is  not  an  atl  ;  but  a  flatly  into  which 
the  mind  has  been  brought  by />rL"y:or/j' adts.  No  man  has  a  habif. 
on  the frfi  he  may  on  the  fecond,  and  fo  forward,  the  habit 
will  encreafe,  that  is,  there  will  be  a  greater  facility  of  aclivig,  and  a 
greater  difficulty  in  ceafmgto  act. 

From  thefe  plain  principles,  it  will  folio v\',  that  a  bad  man.  that 

E 


(    34  ) 


An  early  and  religious  attention  to  the  miniftry, 
unconllrained  by  parents  or  friends,  who  fometimes 
ule  an  undue  influence  to  perfuade  ;  and  an  early  at- 

:s,  a  man  without  religion,  who  is  now  drunkea,  for  the  jird  time^ 
is  not  drunken  from  habit,  and  is  no  drunkard.  He  can  no  more 
be  called  a  drunkard xkxz.'a  the  woman  who  is  deluded  for  the  firit 
time,  can  be  called  a  whore,  or  a  harlot  :  but  the  man  who  was 
feveral  times  intoxicated  before  he  became  a  good  man,  may  be 
feveral  times  intoxicated  afterwards  ;  and  all  this  may  be  in  confe- 
quence  of  a  habit  contraded  before.  He  therefore  fms  after  the 
manner  of  a  bahlt,  that  is,  he  fins  habitually. 

It  may  be  denied,  that  a  good  man  will  repeat  the  fame  crime. 
I  reply,  if  Abraham  was  a  good  man,  a  good  man  may  twice  deny 
his  wife.  If  David  was  a  good  man,  a  good  man  may  many  a 
jfiW  litter  a  falfhood.  And  if  Peter  was  a  good  man,  a  good  man 
may  three  limes  deny  his  Lord. 

It  may  be  faid,  "  Tliis  will  encourage  bad  men  when  they  repeat 
their  crimes.'* 

I  anfwer,  by  afking,  V7hy  will  not  the  other  opinion  bring  good 
men  to  defpair,  when  they  repeat  them  ? 

Tlie  truth  is,  and  truth  will  do  no  harm,  that  a  good  man  may 
more  thiin  once  commit  the  fame  crime,  and  may  do  this  from 
habit :  hut  he  will  not  fin  as  eafily^  as  frequently.,  as  prefmnptuoujly^ 
nor  as  hGafunglyj  as  the  irreligious  man. 

Who  does  not  know  that  a  drunkard  fliall  not  inherit  the  king- 
dom of  he-civen  ?  But  who  does  not  know  that  they  who  have 
been  drunkards  have  been  fandlihcd,  and  do  noiu  inherit  that 
kingdom. 

And.  fuch  mere  fomc  of  you  ;  but  ye  a^re  fanBlfied, 

What  is  fanclineation  ?  It  is  a  dying  unto  fin,  not  a  death  while 
in  the  body.  Sin,  before  fanftification  begins,  is  like  a  ftream 
that  is  continually  r'lfiwr  ^  and  it  is  ever  afterwards,  till  death, 
trie  felf-fame  ftream  graduaIiyj^;2^-«^  doivn» 

Habit  ficrnihes  not  only  a  fate,  but  a  principle  of  a6lion,  as 
oppofed  to  UifHndl.  See  Beattie's  Elem.  In  this  fenfe,  a  good 
man  ivay  fn  hab'iti'nJly,  or  willingly  ;  for  habit  confidered  as  a  mo- 
tive, impHes  will  or  dcfire  to  act. 

1  know  that  it  has  been  denied  that  a  good  man  can  Jin  iviUhtgly. 
The  evil  that  1  would  not  that  I  do,  See  Rom.  vii.  19.  Does 
Paul  mean  the  fam.e  identic  moment  ?  Can  any  thing  at  on&e  he  and 
not  be  !  How  quick  and  contrary  the  exertions  of  the  will  ?  How 
extenfive  the  ideas  of  the  pi-efent  ?  We  f  ty  the  prefent  hour,  dsy, 
yeai",  century.  See  Harris't;  Hermes.  Time  enough  in  a  moment 
for  a  cliange  of  volition.  It  may  change  before  there  is  tim.e  to 
aft.  The  evil  I  mould  not  that  I  do.  But  I  <iuill  it  the  moment 
I  do  it :  tMt  it  is  no  fm.  For  if  fin  be  not  in  the  will  it  is  no 
ivhere.    Even  fins  of  ignorance,  fuppofe  a  previous  unwiUingnefs, 


(    35  ) 

tcntlon  to  fuch  an  education  as  the  miniftry  requires, 
are  mofl:  defirable.  While  the  other  tribes  were 
numbered  from  twenty  years  old,  the  Levites  were 
numbered  from  a  month  old,  and  early  committed 
to  the  infl:ru6lion  of  the  aged  Levites.  And  there 
is  an  encomium  on  Timothy  not  properly  noticed  that 
from  a  child  he  was  acquainted  with  the  fcripturcs. 

3dly,  The  third  particular  is  the  duties  of  thofe 
•called  to  the  altar. 

ift.  They  (hould  fee  that  they  be  regularly  called, 
whether  teacher  or  deacon.  The  firfl  men,  both  in 
the  Jewifh  and  Chriilian  churches,  had  an  extraor- 
dinary call ;  inftead  of  this,  we  are  now  to  judge  by 
our  views,  our  inclinations,  and  qualifications  for 
the  work ;  and  by  our  own  motives,  as  far  as  we  can 
know  thcmi 

The  bufmefs  at  the  altar  may  be  learned  from  the 
feveral  commiflions  of  thofe  who  have,  at  different 
times,  been  fent  there  to  officiate.  Aaron's  com- 
miiSon  you  have  in  the  text.  Jeremiah  runs  thus. 
See  Chap.  i.  7.  10.  Thou  fhalt  goto  all  whom  I  fend 
thee,  and  whatfoever  I  command  thee,  thou  fhalt 
fpeak.  Ezekial's  is  to  the  fame  effed,  See  chap, 
ii.  3.  and  again  repeated  chap.  xL  4.  The  ApoftievS 
you  have  in  the  tenth  chapters  of  Matthew  and 
Luke. 

The  duty  of  teachers  is  to  teach  all  men  in  all  the 
(lations  and  conditions  in  life.  It  is  their  duty,  not 
to  preach  themfelves,  but  Chrifl  Jefus,  their  Lord. 
They  are  to  preach  the  gofpel,  the  fum  of  which  is. 
That  Chrifl  died  for  our  fins,  and  rofe  again  for  our 
jufHfication,  according  to  the  fcriptures. 

"  Chrift  and  his  crofs  is  all  our  theme." 

When  the  preacher  is  at  the  crofs  he  is  at  the  cen- 
tre of  the  fyflem.  When  he  fees  the  great  facrifice 
offered  by  the  great  High  Priefl,  he  can  fee  how  we 
'  are  juflified  by  the  blood  and  fanctified  by  the  Spirit 


to  he  inftru<5led.  How  have  fuch  old  phrafes  gained  fuch fanSlt^t 
that  it  is  dangerous  to  call  them  in  queilioR  I 


C  .36  ; 

of  Chrill,  and  made  willing  to  do  and  to  fufFer  God's 
will.  He  can  fee  the  nature,  necefaty,  and  connexion 
of  drclrine,  experience,  and  praftice  in  religion. 

He  will  fee  the  necelfity  of  fometimes  explaining 
and  defending  the  dodirines  of  the  golpel,  and  enter- 
ing on  a  train  of  inveftigation,  reafoning,  and  argu- 
ment. 

He  will  ?.gain  fee,  the  necefTity  of  drawing  the 
chara^clers,  and  defcribing  the  experiences  of  God's* 
people  ;  their  views  and  hatred  of  fm,  and  their  love 
ofholinefs;  their  views  of  this  world  and  another; 
the  precioufnefs  of  the  great  facrifice  to  them  ;  and 
the  earneil  breathings  of  their  fouls  after  God.* 

*  It  was  not  only  mentioned  by  Mr.  Balch  fen.  as  an  obje^lion» 
but  as  a  reafon  why  God's  people,  as  it  was  faid,  were  permitted  to 
break  loofe  in  fuch  a  torrent  of  criticifm  and  obje(^ions,  becaufc 
the  fermon  was  not  on  religious  experiences,  and  did  not  defcribc 
them. 

For  my  own  part,  I  am  wholly  at  a  lofs  to  conceive  how  a  fer- 
mon, on  the  dcftrine  of  facrifice,  and  the  duty  of  pried  and  people, 
could,  at  the  fame  moment,  be  directly  a  fermon  on  religious  ex- 
periences ;  and  I  think,  that  God's  people,  whoever  they  be,  ought 
to  have  more  good  fenfe  and  more  good  nature. 

I  now  beg  leave  to  Jay,  that  this  fermon  is  on  the  do^rtne  and 
duty  of  facrihcing,  that  this  is  apart  of  the  ivhole  council  cf  God  : 
that  the  great  excellence  of  preaching  confifts  in  bringing  forward 
do^rine,  experience^  and praBice,  each  in  their  proper  place,  and  in 
their  proper  proportion  ;  that  the  preacher  who  preaches  nothing 
but  doctrine  or  practice,  difcovers  a  want  of  religion  ;  that  he 
who  preaches  nothing  but  experiences,  difcovers  a  want  of  fenft, 
of  Rudy,  or  cf  education  ;  that  though  I  may  not  have  rightly 
proportioned  thefe  things,  yet  I  have  been  attempting  to  do  it, 
according  to  occafion  and  place  ;  and  that  were  I  again  to  preach, 
at  Salim,  1  would  preach  on  the  doHrine  and  duty  charity, 

Tlie  above  objc6lion  was  made  in  private,  and  it  is  here  inferted 
to  prevent  fuch  an  objection  again.  The  following  objcclion  was 
fpecified  in  writing,  and  brought  forward  into  public  view. 

To  fay  that  good  works  are  as  necejfary^  &c.  See  above — is  to 
cxelude  infants  from  falvation,  and  fuch  men,  as  tlie  thit^f  on  the 
croi's  who  were  tither  incapable  of  doing  good  works,  or  had  no 
time  to  do  them. 

1  no  more  tliought  of  fuch  objeftions  in  delivering  the  fermon, 
than  the /jpoftlc  Paul  did  when  he  wrote  to  the  Theffalonians, 
2  Epifl.  iii.  10,  that  if  any  would  not  work  neither  fliould  he  cat. 


(    37  ) 

He  will  alfo  fee  the  neceflity  of  preaching  good 
works.  For  religion  confifts  in  what  we  are  to  do  for 
God  and  men  ;  as  well  as  in  what  God  does  in  us  and 
for  us.  Good  works  are  as  neceffary  in  their  proper 
order  and  place  ^  as  is  the  right  eoufnefs  which  is  by  faith 
in  its  place  and  order.  The  fame  Scriptures  which 
fay  that  "  \  here  is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven 
among  men"— do  alfo  fay  that  "  Without  holinefs 
no  man  (hall  fee  the  Lord." 

I  know  that  there  are  fome  who  do  not  like  to 
preach,  and  therefore  fome  who  do  not  like  ta  hear 
of  the  neceffity  of  good  works.  "  It  is  legal"  fay 
they,  "  it  is  legal."  This  I  think  to  be  a  miftake, 
unlefs  we  be  urged  to  depend  upon  the  merit  of  fuch 
works.  This  miflake  is  apt  to  lead  to  a  four,  cen- 
forious  difpofition,  and  fometirnes  to  downright  en- 
thufiafm.  For  when  good  works  are  depreciated  or 
difproportioned  in  preaching,  frames  and  feelings 
will  be  fubftituted  in  their  place. 

Happy,  thrice  happy,  the  preacher  who  is  at  the 
centre  of  the  fyftem,  and  whofe  foul,  like  Solomon's, 
is  as  the  fand  on  the  fea-fliore  for  largenefs,  to  com- 
prehend the  whole.  Happy  the  people  who  have 
fuch  a  preacher. 

It  is  in  the  chriftian  fyftem  as  in  the  folar.  The 
whole  can  be  rightly  feen  only  from  the  centre,  and 
from  the  centre  it  demands  an  extenfive  view.  From 
any  other  point,  or  by  narrow  views  from  this  one, 
we  may  be  deceived  by  appearances.  How  glorious 
is  an  extenfive  and  well  conneded  view  of  all  the 
dodrines  and  precepts  of  Chrift  ;  and  all  the  experi- 
ences and  duties  of  his  children. 

The  manner  of  preaching  is  extenfive.  In  fome  ref- 
pe6ts  it  is  tlie  fame,  in  others,  different,  in  different 
ages. 

The  criticifm  might  as  well  have  been  made  on  Paul,  fcr  he  has 
neither  excepted  decriped  old  men  nor  infants. 

Quere,  can  it  be  proved,  that  the  thief  on  the  crofs,  was  not  a  be- 
liever before  he  was  brought  there  ? 


C   38  ) 

The  gofpel  Ihould,  at  all  times,  be  preached  with 
plainnefs,  not  adorned  with  the  trappings  of  human 
wifdom  ;  but  in  demonftration  of  the  Spirit,  i  Cor* 
ii.  4.  They  who  come  to  the  altar  fliould,  like  the 
Pfalmift,  Pf.  Hv.  6,  come  freely ;  and  they  who 
preach  the  gofpel  fnould,  like  the  Apoftle,  be  con- 
Itrained  by  love,  See  2  Cor.  v.  12.  This  happy 
conftraint  is  oppofed  to  that  relu£lance  with  which 
we  either  enter  into  the  holy  office  or  execute  the 
functions  of  it. 

Again,  the  gofpel  fliould  be  preached  with  diligence 
and  hdelity.  Who  is  the  faithful  and  wife  fteward, 
Luke  12.  43.  He  confiders  his  mafter's  character, the 
terms  on  which  he  is  commiilioned,  and  the  miferable 
ftate  of  perifhing  fouls  He  guards  agalnft  the  love 
of  eafe,  and  of  the  world,  and  againil  the  fear  of  men, 
and  the  delire  of  popular  applaufe. 

Once  more, — The  truths  of  the  Gofpel  fhould  at 
all  times  be  preached  in  their  beautiful  order  and 
proportion.  The  firft  thing  v/hich  calls  our  atten- 
tion in  the  Scriptures,  is  the  works  of  God.  From 
thefe  works,  and  particularly  from  man,  w^e  are  led 
up  to  the  nature  of  God,  for  that  which  may  be 
known  of  God  is  manifeft  in  them.  See  Rom.  i, 
19,  20.  "When  we  afcend  to  a  view  of  the  whole 
divine  character,  juifice  and  mercy,  greatnefs  and 
grace,  w'efee  what  we  are  and  ought  to  be,  that  wx 
are,  by  nature,  children  of  difobedience  and  wrath, 
that  our  recovery  mufi;  be  eiFe^led  by  the  Spirit  and 
blood  of  Chrift,  and  that  wemuft,  by  a  courfe  of  ho- 
ly obedience  and  patient  fuffering,  be  made  meet  for 
the  inheritance  of  the  faints  in  light. 

There  is  alfo  a  proportion  in  which  the  truths  of 
the  Gofpel  are  to  be  preached.  There  is  a  fcale, 
both  of  doctrine  and  precept,  which  may  dire<5l  in 
preaching  and  practice,  and  prevent  infidelity,  enthu- 
liafm,  and  fuperftition.  The  firft  and  great  com- 
mandment is,  not  as  fuperftitious  Jews  imagined,  the 
law  of  the  burnt-offering.  It  is,  Thou  fnalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart.    The  fecond  is  like 


(    39  ) 

.t,  not  fo  great  in  objeft  or  degree.  It  is,  Thou  flialt 
love  thy  neigkbour  as  thyfelf.  Below  thefe  on  the 
fcale,  are  marked  all  the  pofitive  inftitutions.  God 
did  not  jirji  fpeak  to  Ifrael  concerning  burnt-ofter-  . 
ing  and  facrifices,  Jer.  vii.  22.  Even  in  the  age  of 
lacrifice,  He  declared  that  ''To  obey,  is  better  than 
facrifice,  and  to  hearken,  than  the  fat  of  rams/' 
I  Sam.  xii.  22. 

I  obferved  before,  that  the  manner  of  preaching 
has  been  different  in  different  ages.  Men  were  firit 
taught  by  patriarch  or  prieft,  at  home  or  at  the  tem- 
ple, over  the  body  of  a  fiaughtered  beaft.  By  the 
prophet,  they  were  inftrufted  by  parables,  adions, 
emblems,  walking  bare-footed  and  naked,  or  without 
the  outer  garment.  Thefe  inftrudlions  were  com- 
municated in  high-founding  figurative  language,  and 
with  a  mighty  vehemence  of  voice  and  gefture,  fniit- 
ing  with  the  hand  and  ftamping  with  the  foot. 

The  firfl:  2ges  were  the  ages  of  the  paffions,  and  of 
that  bold  metaphoric  language  which  the  paffions 
produce.  The  novelty  of  objects,  and  fcantinefs  of 
words  were  the  caufes  of  thefe  effeds.  Hence  all 
thofe  paffionate  defultory  harangues,  which  have  in 
later  ages  given  place  to  difcourfes  lefs  paffionate  and 
more  corred  in  method  and  ftyle. 

Every  age  has  \U  own  mode  of  inflru^tion,  and 
this  mode  is  as  the  progrefs  of  fociety  ;  for  we  now 
fee  that  in  the  dark  corners  of  our  country,  where 
fociety  has  made  Httle  progrefs,  the  mode  of  inflrus- 
tionis  as  in  the  primitive  ages.  Tell  me  the  age  of 
the  v/orld,  and  unlefs  the  natural  progrefs  of  fociety 
be  interrupted  by  war  or  other  caufe,  I  would  venture 
to  conjeclure  the  mode  of  inftru6lion. 

Wife  teachers  will  accommodate  themfelves  to  the 
condition  of  their  hearers,  at  the  fame  time  they  will 
lead  them  gradually  along  to  improvement.  Mofes 
and  the  prophets,  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  have  all 
adapted  their  inflruftions  to  their  own  refpedive 
times.  And  had  any  of  them  lived  through  every 
period,  they  would  have  varied  the  manner  of  teach- 


[    40  ] 

ing  according  to  the  progreffive  ftate  of  fociety  in 
each  period.f 

Another  duty  of  thofe  who  fland  at  the  ahar,  is  to 
exercile  good  government;  to  admit  thofe  who  ought 
to  be  admitted,  and  to  exclude  from  the  altar  thofe 
who  ought  to  be  excluded. 

Chrilt  has  in  each  period  made  the  terms  of  com- 
munion that  fuited  the  ftage  of  fociety  in  that  period  ; 
for  the  making  of  terms  is  a  matter  of  too  much  mag- 
nitude to  be  left  to  men.  What  bloodflied  and  per- 
fecution  would  have  been  prevented,  had  men  only 
ftudied  to  find  and  execute  the  terms  which  Chrifl 
has  made ! 

I  lliall  pafs  over  the  terms  in  the  patriarchal  and 
Jewifh  difpenfations.  Suffice  it  to  fay,  that,  like  the 
difpenfations  themfelves,  they  were  rather  preceptive 
and  ceremonial ;  in  the  prefent  difpenfation  they  are 
more  dodrinal  and  moral. 

The  do«5lrinal  terms  or  truths  are  many,  they  can- 
not be  denied,  confiflent  with  falvation,  they  are 
marked  with  an  uncommon  emphafis  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, they  are  general  fimple  truths ;  they  were  early 
introduced  to  anticipate  error,  and  they  are  all  fum- 
nied  up    in  one  truth,  emphatically  called,  the 

TRUTH.]: 

On  a  fubjed  imperfedly  underflood,  I  fhall  not 
pretend  to  a  perfed  enumeration.  All  own,  that 
fome  truths  are  elTential.  None  have  pretended  to 
find  them  altogether.  Like  other  truths,  they  are 
difperfed  through  the  Scriptures ;  and  to  me,  they 

f  This  obfervatlon  miglit  have  fpared  the  infidel  many  an  un- 
meaning criticiTm  on  the  Scriptures.  He  will  readily  admit  the 
change  in  political  fociety.  Ke  will  grant  that  Cicero  or  Demof- 
thcnes  would  not,  were  they  now  living,  fpeak  in  the  Con^refs  of 
America  as  themfelves  once  did  at  Athens  and  Rome. 

\  For  this  laft  and  excellent  thought,  I  own  myfelf  indebted  to 
the  author  and  owner  of  Theological  Difquihtions.  The  Author 
is  Dr.  lLrf]<ine,  of  Edinburgh.  The  owner  is  a  kind  (Iranger  in 
the  Weiiern  Territory,  who  in  a  very  friendly  manner,  prefented 
me  with  the  volume  at  Salim,  to  afiifl  me  on  this  fubjed,  after  i 
had  declared  my  refolution  to  publifh  this  fermon. 


C    41  ] 

have  appeared  in  the  following  number  and  arrange^ 
ment. 

1.  A  belief  of  the  being  and  providence  of  God. 
For     he  that  cometh  unto  God,  niuji  believe  that  he 

and  that  he  i  ^  ^  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently 
feek  him.    See  Heb.  xi.  6. 

2.  That  the  fcriptures  are  the  word  of  God. 
Though  we  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  o- 
ther  gofpel,  let  him  be  accurfed^  Gal.  i.  8.  He 
that  believeth  not,  hath  made  God  a  liar,  becaufe  he 
believeth  not  the  record  that  God  hath  given  of  his 
Son. 

3.  That  there  is  a  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft^ 
He  that  denieth  me  before  men,  (hall  be  deyiied  before 
the  angels  of  God.  Unto  him  that  blafphemeth  a- 
gainft  the  Holy  Ghoft,  it  fnall  not  be  forgiven,  Luke 
xii.  10.  This  laft  claufe  may  refpe£l  pradice, 
words,  or  adions,  of  which  hereafter,  but  it  implies 
faith^  belief  ox  dodr 'me.  Again,  if  any  man  have  not 
the  Spirit  of  Chrift,  he  is  none  of  bis.  Who  is  a  liar 
but  he  that  denieth  that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift.  He  is 
antichrift  that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.  See 
I  John  ii.  22. 

4.  That  Jefus  Chrift,  the  Son  of  God,  is  a  necef- 
fary  and  fujfcient  Saviour.    Neither  is  there  falva- 

\\oii  in  any  other  name^  for  there  is  none  other  name 
given  under  heaven  among  men,  by  which  we  inujl 
be  faved.  Ads  iv.  10.  And  again,  other  foundatim 
can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Chriji 
Jefus,   I  Cor.  iii.  1 1. 

5.  That  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  7ieccffary 
and  fiifficient  to  recover  men  from  fm.  No  man  can 
fay,  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghoft. 
I  Cor.  xii.  3.  But  ye  are  not  in  the  flefli,  but  in  the 
fpirit,  if  fo  he^  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you, 
Rom.  viii.  0. 

6.  That  all  have  fmned  and  are  finners.  If  we 
fay  that  we  have  no  fin^  we  deceive  ourfelves,  and 
THE  TRUTH  is  Tiot  in  US.    If  we  fav  that  we  have 

F 


C    42  J 

not  jhmed^  we  make  him  a  ILir^  and  his  word  is  not 
in  us.  I  John  i.  8,  lo. 

7.  We  mil  ft  be  born  again.  Except  a  man  be 
born  again  he  cannot  fee  the  kingdom  of  God.  John 
iii.  3. 

8.  That  the  foul  is  immortal,  and 

9.  That  the  body  will  be  raifed  by  Chrift,  and  u- 
nited  with  it.  If  the  dead  rife  not  then  is  Chrift  not 
rifen,  and  if  Chrift  be  not  rifen  your  faith  is  vain — 
then  they  alfo,  that  are  fallen  aileep  in  Chrift  are 
perifhed,  i  Cor.  xv.  16 — 18.  Compareaifo,  i  Tim. 
i.  19,  20,  with  2  Tim.  ii.  18,  19. 

10.  That  by  Chrift  there  will  be  a  future  judg- 
ment. This  indeed,  feems  implied  in  the  refurrec- 
tion,  for  therefore  are  they  raifed.  The  fcriptures, 
however,  mention  it  as  neceffary*  We  miiji  all  ap- 
pear before  the  judgment-feat  of  Chrift,  that  every 
one  may  receive — See  2  Cor.  v.  10.  Again,  he  that 
denieth  me  before  men,  fliall  be  denied  before  the 
angels  of  God.  Luke  xii.  9.  This  refers  to  the 
judgment. 

11.  That  there  is  a  heaven,  or  place  of  rewards, 
and 

12.  A  hell,  or  place  of  puniftiment. 

I  declare  unto  you  thegofpel,  i  Cor.  xv.  i.  4.  Go 
preach  the  gofpel  to  every  creature,  he  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized,  fliall  h&  faved ;  but  he  that  believeth 
not  ftiall  be  damned,  Baptifm  is  here  mentioned, 
and  in  John  iii.  5,  as  neceffary  ;  but  here  it  refpeds 
precepts^  not  docirines^  and  will  be  confidered  hereaf- 
ter. 

Here  I  beg  leave  to  make  a  few  remarks. 

I.  Thefe  2Xt^  perhaps.,  all  the  fundam.ental  truths 
of  the  gofpel.  They  ail  appear  eftential  to  the  be- 
lief of  the  Chriftian  religion,  and  of  lalvation,  on  the 
terms  of  it.  For,  fuppoie  any  one  of  them  to  be  de- 
nied, can  the  reft  be  confiftently  believed  ?  Ought 
not  he  who  denies,  to  be  reieded  as  an  heretic  ? 
Knowing,  that  lie  who  is  inch,  is  fub verted  and  fm- 
neth,  being  condemned  of  himfelf,  by  furniftiing  the 


[    43  ] 

materials  of  his  own  condemnation.  See  Doddridge, 
on  Tit.  iii.  10,  1 1. 

Other  texts^  on  other fiihjeds  or  do^rines,  are,  I  be- 
lieve, no  where  fo  emphatically  expreiTtd,  Errors, 
refpeding  them,  are  not,  therefore,  inccnfiflent  with 
the  communion  of  faints.  The  difciples  were  admit- 
ted to  the  comm.union  of  the  body  of  Chrift,  on  the 
belief,  that  Chrifl  was  to  be  a  temporal  prince;  for 
long  after,  they  afk,  Wilt  thou,  at  this  time,  relfore 
the  kingdom?  See  A6ts  i.  6.  A  proof  this,  among 
many  others,  that  on  the  true  foundation,  may  be 
raifed  wood,  hay,  and  ftubble.   i  Cor.  iii.  12. 

fi.  The  doftrines  aforelaid,  are,  as  fundamentals 
ought  to  be,  general^  and  not  particular  articles  of 
belief.  All  chriftians,  for  example,  agree,  that  there 
is  an  abfolute  necefTity  for  Jefus,  as  a  Saviour ;  that 
is,  that  without  him^  thsy  could  never  have  been  fav* 
ed  ;  but  fome  fuppofe  that  necefTity  to  confift  in 
rejloring  freewill^  and  enabling  us  to  walk  :  Others, 
that  it  confifts  in  holding  us  up  every  Jlep  of  the  way, 
and  thus  carrying  us  along.  This  remark  might  be 
illuftrated  in  all  the  doftrines  that  have  been  named. 
There  are  particular  opinions  under  every  general 
article  of  belief,  which  can  never  be  made  terms. 
For,  if  ever  we  go  down  to  thefe  particulars,  and 
turn  them  into  terms,  they  are  without  end.  No 
two  men  can  fit  down  together  at  the  fame  commu- 
nion-table. 

3.  The  dodrines  aforefaid,  are  prepared  as  terms 
for  every  age  and  every  error  in  the  chriflian  dif- 
penfation.  Chrifb  has  prepared  the  terms  nccef/ary 
for  every  difpenfation,  at  the  beginning  of  it.  This 
might  be  inferred,  from  the  forefeeing  care  -of  both 
himfelf  and  his  apoftlcs  ;  particularly,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  chriflian  difpenfation.  "There  fliali  a- 
rife  many  falfe  Chrifls,"  Matt,  xj-iiv.  24.  He,  the 
Spirit,  will  guide  you,  the  apoflles,  into  all  truth, 
that  is,  unto  all  the  truth,  John  xvi.  13.  The 
Spirit  exprefsly  faith,  "  that  in  the  latter  times  fome 
fhall  depart  from  the  faith,  i  Tim.  iv.  ic    Nov/  the 


(    44  ) 

apoftles  time  was  the  lafl:  time,  i  John  ii.  i8.  See 
alio,  2  Pet.  ii.  5.  and  iii.  3.  and  Jude  v.  4. 

That  the  doctrines  above  are  prepared  as  terms 
for  all  ages,  and  errors,  will  farther  appear  from  the 
perfedion  of  the  Scriptures,  that  form  of  found 
words,  2  Tim.  j.  13,  that  divine  *  depofit,  ver.  14, 
and  chap.  ii.  2.  Read  on  10  chap,  iii,  and  you  mufl 
fee  that  the  Apoflle  in  that  chapter,  after  pointing 
out  feveral  characters  to  be  avoided,  at  lafl,  directs 
to  the  Scriptures  which,  fays  he,  ver.  16,  is  profita- 
ble for  ^(?^?n>?ir, — ver,  1 7,  that  the  man  of  God  may 
be  perfect,  that  is  complete,  if  oth«r  things,  certainly 
terms  are  included. 

Again,  it  was  neceffary  that  terms  fliould  have 
been  early  completed,  to  counter-act  early  error.  Per- 
haps every  capital  truth  was  denied  in  the  Apofloiic 
age.  The  myftery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work,  2 
ThefT.  ii.  7, — even  now  thera  are  many  antichrifts, 
1  John.  jv.  1,2' — many  deceivers,  2  John,  ver.  7. 
See  alfo  Jude,  ver.  4. 

Certainly  every  efTential  truth  was  denied  in  deny- 
ing the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  this  was  done  in  Pe- 
ter's days.  See  2  Epift.  ii.  i.  This  denial,  though 
but  one  herefy  is  yet  called  herefies  in  the  plural  num- 
ber, becaufe  it  comprehends  all  herefies  ;  and  it  is 
called  damnable  berejles,  becaufe  it  is  oppofed  to  all 
the  truth  or  truths  which  are  neceffary  to  be  believed 
in  order  to  fahation.    This  leads  to  a 

4th  remark^  jufl  hinted  before,  that  all  the  doc- 
trines aforefaid  are  wound  up,  for  greater  conven* 
Ijnce,  incne  fliort  comprehenfive  expreffion,  called 
with  an  emphafis  the  truth,  the  vjord^  the  faith^  and 
the  co'mmo7i  Jalvaiion  ;  but  moll  frequently,  the  truth. 
It  ought  to  have  been  fo  rendered  in  pilate*s  quellion, 
John  xviii.  38.  Not  what  is  truth  ?  but  what  is  the 

*  I'he  Jews  faid  that  God  had  twc  (lifpofiticns.  One  was  the 
l?.mp  cr  law  vviUioUt  Vis>  alluded  to  abt)ve  :  the  other  was  the  foul 
or  lamp  within  tis^  alluded  to  "  2  Tim.  chap.  1.  5.  12,"  and  "  l  Petv 
iv,  19.  '    Sec  Whitby Aanot  \  qh  the  places  above^ 


(    45  ) 

truth  ?  what  is  that  truth  which  you  came  to  witnefs, 
See  ver.  37. 

This /nv^/j  was  fummed  up  in  anfwer  to  a  Scrip- 
tural queftion,  on  the  terms  of  communion.  What 
doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ?  and  fo  brought  in- 
to the  cmmunion  of  the  chriftian  church  ?  the  anfwer 
then  was,  See  A6ts  viii,  and,  in  fpite  of  creeds  and 
creed-makers,  in  fpite  of,  bigotry  and  bigots — 
the  anfwer  now  is,  that  if  thou  hcHeveJl^  with  all  thine 
heart,  that  Jefus  Chrijh  is  the  Son  of  God,  thou  mayefl. 

This  neceflarily  comprehends  all  the  general  doc- 
trines that  have  been  enumerated ;  but  does  not 
neceffarily  involve  ^^r//Vw/^r  opinions.  It  fuppofes 
that  there  is  a  God,  for  it  afferts,  that  jefus  Chrifl  is 
the  fon  of  God.  It  was  acknowledged  before  bap- 
tifm,  which  was  adminillered  in  the  name  of  Father^ 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft.  It  comprehended  the  record 
that  God  gave  of  his  Son,  this  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  lam  well  pleafed.  See  Matr.  iii.  17,  and 
xvii.  5.  He  was  called  Jefus,  becaufe  he  faves  his  peo- 
ple from  their  fms,  Matt.  i.  21;   and  Chrift,  the 

anointed,^'  with  the  holy  Ghoft,  and  wath  power, 
A6ls  X.  38.  He  is  therefore  a  neceflary,  and  fuf- 
ficient  faviour.  I  fliall  leave  you  to  trace  the  fubjeft 
along  at  your  Icifure,  and  only  obferve  farther,  that 
the  Apottles  conftantly  gave,  and  demanded  this  as 
the  acknowledgment  of  faith;  and  conftantly  cppofed 
it  to  every  error  that  excluded  from  the  church,  to 
the  damnable  herefies  of  the  Gnoftic  philofophers, 
and  to  all  other  herefiarchs.  See  Matt.  xvi..  16.  A6ls 
viii.  37,  and  ix.  20.  22.  2  Pet,  ii.  i.  i  John,  iv.  3, 
and  2  John,  ver.  7,|  and  9. 

\  The  Gnoftics  were  oriental  philofophers,  whofc  philofophic 
opinions,  Sec  Molheim'ij  ecleliaft.  Hill:  led  them  to  deny  that 
Jefus  was  Chrift,  or  that  he  was  come  in  the  fiefh.  Now,  who  is  a 
liar  fays  Jolin,  i  Epilh  ii.  22,  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jenis  is  the 
Chrift.— iMany  deceivers  are  entered  into  the  world  w  ho  cor.fefs 
not  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  come  in  the  flefli,  2  John,  ver.  7.  This  is 
f>ot -abidin4.r  in  the^/o^nnd**?/  Cbrijly  ver.  9;  thst  is,  (for  the  con- 
text is  the  beft  interpreter,)  in  that  dodrine  that  Jefus  Clsrift  was 
corkie  in  the  fiefti.    Or  that  he  was  the  holy  thinjr  called  the  frri 


(    46  ) 

I  knowg  that  there  are  particular  opinions  about 
every  part  of  this  compound  of  terms — particular 
opinio'is  about  faith — particular  opinions  about  the 
fen  "e  of  that  emphatic  claufe,  with  all  the  heart," 
anu  particular  opinions  about  the  fonfhip  of  our 
Saviour.  1  fhall  not  wait  to  enumerate  thefe  opin- 
ions ;  but  only  obferve,  that,  for  that  very  reafon, 
that  is,  becaufe  they  are  particular^  they  ought  n»t  to 
be  made  terms.  Nor  are  they  in  practice,  made 
terms  by  our  church.  Different  opinions  have  been 
publiflied  on  all  the  particulars  aforefaid — and  pub- 
liflied  by  thofe  who  now  have  communion  with  e?xh 
other,  becaufe  they  do  unite  in  i\\t  general  belief,  that 
there  is  no  other  nayne  given  under  heaven  among  men 
by  which  we  muji  he faved :  or  becaufe  they  do  believe^ 
with  all  their  hearty  that  Jefus  Chriji  is  the  Son  of 
God,  and  ''the  very  Chrijir\\ 

of  Gody  and  born  of  the  virgin.  See  Luke,  i.  35,  If  there  come 
any  unto  you  and  bring  not  this  do^rine,  receive  him  not : — what  ig- 
norance or  bigtjtry  in  thofe  who  bring  this  dodrinc  thus  to  treat 
one  another ! 

jj  The  fpecified  objeAion  here  was,  "  your  terms  are  too  lax." 

And  an  objcftion,  afterwards  mentioned  in  public,  was,  Any 
infidel  can  fay,  1  beheve  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  fon  of  God.'* 

Qucre,  Flow  can  an  inhdel  affert  that  truth,  the  denial  of  which 
is  the  very  thing  and  the  only  thing  that  conftitutes  infidelity? 

"  But  he  tells  you  a  lie."  Quere.  Can  you  prow  this  ?  If  you 
can  do  this,  exclude  the  liar  on  the  principle  of  immorality  ;  but 
this  will  lead  you  from  dodrinal  to p7-e£eptive  terms,  which  is  a  go- 
ing away  to  other  ground,  and  of  which  hereafter. 

The  obie£lion  waspublickly  mad«  juft  as  it  is  marked,  and  the 
very  emphatic  claufe  "  With  all  the  heart'^  was  entirely  omitted. 
The  omilhon  to  me  appeared  uncandid,  and  the  reafon  afterwards 
alTigned  was,  that  it  was  not  material  for  taking  it  altogether,  it  is 
not  eafy  to  fee  anv  thing  that  will  be  error.  This  was  faid  after 
the  do clriurJ  terms  had  been  twice  enumerated  by  me  as  above. 

Whether  the  omiffion  was  candid  or  not,  the  infertion  of  the 
claufe  would  not  have  given  force  to  the  objection.  For  if  an  in- 
fidel could  fay,  /  believe  nvitk  all  my  hearty  &c — he  could  fay  any 
thing  elfe  that  Mr.  Doke  could  propofe  to  him  as  a  term — he  could 
run  ever  all  the  chapters  in  the  conffffion.  and  all  the  anfwers  in 
both  catechifms. 


r  47  ] 

How  wife  and  gracious  is  heaven, to  place  the  terms 
in  general  and  eflentiai  truths,  to  give  them  early  to 
the  Chriftian  church,  and  to  wind  up  all  in  one, 
which  all  the  councils  and  creed-makers  on  earth 
have  never  mended,  andean  never  mend. 

Happy  was  the  church,  while  (he  abode  by  this 
term.  This  (he  did  for  about  three  centuries.  Dar- 
ing that  period,  difputes  were  between  Chrijiians  and 
heretics^  firvce  that  time — between  Chrijiians  and 
Chrijiians^  becaufe  then  began,  and  fmce  have  conti- 
nued the  reign  and  the  rage  of  making  terms§. 

It  may  be  faid.  Will  you  admit  the  profane,  the 
idolator,  or  liar  ;  or  the  men  who  worfhip  angels, 
adore  the  elements,  or  deny  the  ufe  of  facraments  in 
whole  or  part,  yet  make  this  profeflion  ? 

I  reply,  that  this  leads  to  commands^  precepts^  and 
praElice^  which  are  very  different  from  dotlrines  or 
mere  matters  of  faith. 

Commands  are  of  two  kinds,  either  moral  or  pofi- 
tive,  and  in  the  pradlice  of  both  there  may  be  com- 
munion. There  may  be  communion  in  praife  and 
prayer,  as  well  as  in  baptifm  and  the  eucharift. 

In  moral  precepts  indeed  there  is  no  exclujion  ;  the 
Jews  were  not  cafl  out  of  the  temple  but  fynagogue 
only,  and  men  are  not  now  excluded  from  prayer 
and  praife.  The  reafon  is  that  to  preclude  men  from 
duties  focial  and  moral,  is  to  preclude  them  from  the 
means  of  reforming  ;  with  pofitive  focial  duties  it  is 
not  fo.    The  very  exclufion  is  intended  to  reform. 

1.  The  moral  precepts  refpedl:  the  worihip  of  God 
and  reverence  for  his  name.  Thou  fhalt  worfhip  the 
Lord  thy  God,  Matt.  iv.  lo.  Follow  holinefs  with- 
out which  no  man  fhall  fee  the  Lord.  Thefe  com- 
mands are  moral,  effential  to  the  chriftian  chara£ler>, 
founded  on  the  firft  table  of  the  law,  and  demand  a 
all  times  the  fervice  of  the  heart. 

2.  They  refped  the  mode  of  that  worfhip  and  re- 
verence. Of  the  tree  in  the  midii:  of  the  garden  thou 


§  See  Moiheim  on  the  fgurtK  century  and  forward. 


Aialt  not  eat.  Go  unto  the  altar  and  offer  thy  burnt- 
offering.  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body.  Go  teach  all 
]iations,  baptizing  kc. — Thefe  are  ceremonial  or  ri- 
tual commands,  yielding  in  importance  to  the  mo- 
ral, and  appended  to  the  firll:  table. 

3.  The  precepts  have  refpeci:  tojufticeand  charity 
to  men — to  the  acquiring,  defending,  exchanging 
and  diftributing  of  property--and  to  the  anticipating 
or  removing  or  alleviating  of  prejudice  and  wretch- 
ednefs,  whether  the  objecls  become  wretched  by  the 
opprefiion  of  men,  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God, 
or  by  their  own  crimes.  Thefe  embrace  the  fecond 
table. 

4.  The  precepts  refpe^l  the  mode  of  exercifmg 
jullice  and  charily.  Eye  for  eye  and  tooth  for  tooth. 
Five  oxen  for  an  ox  and  four  dieep  for  a  ffieep.  Re- 
n(i  not  evil.  If  any  man  fmite  thee  on  the  one  cheek 
turn  to  him  the  other  alfo.  Go  not  to  law  about  the 
leffer  matters.  Thefe  are  derived  from  and  appended 
to  the  fecond  table;  and  are  the  judicial  or  civil  laws 
of  the  land,  or  the  peculiar  laws  of  chriflianity. 

Nowflrould  any  man  worfhip  a  falfe  God,  rob,  or 
defraud,  or  opprefs,  deny  the  facraments,  or  adore 
th.c  elements;  the  quefiions  would  be,  iff.  What  fays 
ihe  precept  ?  2d,  What  fays  the  fad?  Is  there  a  law, 
and  has  that  law  been  broken  ? 
«  If  both  appear  to  the  church,  he  ought  to  be  de- 
prived of  communion.  For  every  the  lead  precept,, 
unlefs  when  it  interferes  with  a  greater,  as  in  the  cafe 
of  Hezekiah  and  his  people,  See  2  Chron.  xxx.  19. 
Ihould  be  made  a  term.  For  he  that  faith,  I  know 
him  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments  is  a  liar,  and 
the  Truth  is  not  in  him,  i  John  ii,  4. 

It  has  been  commonly  obferved,  that  duties  are 
plainer  than  dodrines  ;  and  yet  I  rind  more  difficulty 
with  regard  to  preceptive  than  do^lrinal terms. 
,  For  though  there  be  no  line  to  drav/  between  pre- 
cepts or  laws  thati^re,  or  are  not  to  be  made  terms  ; 
yet  there  may  be  difputes  about  the  exijlcnce^  continu- 
ation^  oxjenfc  ofprecepf^  or  laws,  and  there  may  be 


t    49  3 

difputes  about  the  degrees  of  puni{hment  when  the 
law  and  the  faO:,  have  been  both  afcertained  and  ac* 
knoH'l  edged. 

Exiils  there  a  law,  or  any  thing  tantamount,  with 
refpetl  to  the  pradiceof  dancing  ?  This  is  a  queftion 
that  has  long  divided  and  agitated  the  church,  andi« 
not  yet  decided. 

When  iht  precept  h  ^chnovj\edged^\he  continmiioii 
has  been  dilputed.  This  is  true  of  pofitive  inftitu- 
tions — the  eucharift  andbaptifm,  which  fome  have 
fuppofed  to  be  but  for  a  time  now  pail. 

When  the  continuation  has  been  ackno"wIedged<> 
the  fenfe  has  been  difputed.  Do  ■this  in  rememberr 
ance  of  me.    This  is  my  body-. 

When  the  law  has  been  afcertained,  the  facl  or  mo- 
tive have  been  doubtful^  when  both  have  been  afcer- 
tained,  the  degree  of  puniihment  has  been  difputed. 
Shall  antenuptial  fornication,  for  example,  be  puft-- 
ilhed  in  the  fame  public  manner  as  that  which  is  vlqX 
followed  by  marriage  ?* 

Now  though  there  be  no  queftion  about  commu- 
nion in  the  obfervance  of  moral  precepts :  yet  a  dif- 
ficulty ftill  remains  ;  for  the  violation  of  any  precept 
moral  or  pofitive,  fliould  exclude  from  communion 
in />^;/?//'y^' inftitutions.  See  Num.  xiv.  12.  Jofh.  v* 
6.  Matt.  iii.  7.  i  Cor.  v.  11. 

In  folving  the  difficulty  I  obferve,  that  it  has  no 
exiftence  with  reference  to  thofe  who  deny  that  any 
fliould  he  excluded,  by  admitting  all  to  communion 
in  the  pofitive  inft itutions  :  or  wdth  reference  to  thofe 
who  deny  that  any  fhould  be  admitted^  by  denying 
thefe  pofitive  inftitutions  altogether* 

i  do  not  fay  that  any  of  them  is  in  the  right ;  but 
I  fay  that  they  can  have  no  difficulty  about  commu- 
nion* 

If  the  e-ydjleiice  of  a  moral  precept,  or  lav/,  (hould 
be  aiFirmed  or  denied  by  thofe  who  believe  that  any 

*  See  more  on  a  fimilar  fubjeft  in  Paley's  Mor.  Phil.  In  3n- 
fwer  to  this  queftion,    If  the  maxims  pfjuiliccbe  fo  fimple,  whj^ 
re  fuits  fo  complex  ? 


L  50  ] 

Ihould  be  excluded  ;  and  if  it  appear  a  matter  of  mag- 
nitude, a  different  line  of  condud  will  follow,  and 
a  fchif?n  rnnjl  take  place  until  fomething  refpeding  the 
law  be  more  clearly  underftood. 

If  not  the  exiflence,  but  fenfe  of  a  precept  be  dif- 
puted:  fuch  as.  This  do— this  is  my  body,  &c.  and  if 
the  different  fenfes  fhould  appear  too  inconfiftent  with 
the  character  of  a  difciple  of  jefus,  afchijm  mvjl  take 
place^  until  the  fenfe  of  the  precept  be  better  under- 
ftood. 

I  conclude  with  obferving,  that  though  there  be 
fome  difference  in  preceptive  and  doctrinal  terms ; 
yet  there  is  fome  fimilarity. 

As  fome  do6lrines  are  fo  plain  and  emphatic,  that 
a  denial  of  them  appears  inconfiftent  with  the  exifl- 
ence of  the  Chriflian  religion  ;  or  falvation  on  its 
terms  :  fo  fom.e  precepts  are  fo  plain  and  emphatic, 
that  a  conflant  negled  or  violation  of  them  appears 
utterly  inconfiflent  with  the  charadler  or  conduct  of 
a  Chriflian. 

All  the  laws  of  God  are  founded  on  thefe  two  prin- 
ciples, firft,  that  the  Creator  be  worfhipped  by  the 
creature  with  his  whole  heart  ;  and  in  the  next 
place,  that  He  be  worfhipped  in  'ushat  external  mode 
he  pleafes.  The  firfl  is  the  principle  of  all  morale  the 
fecond — of  all  pofitive  laws.  The  fir  it  is  commonly 
the  moft  plain,  and  always  the  moil  important. 

Again,  as  the  mofl  important  doctrines  are  general 
and  plain :  fo  alfo  are  the  precepts.  No  difpute  a- 
bout  the  duty  of  worfhipping  God  with  our  hearts, 
but  in  what  verfe  and  even  with  what  tunes  has  been 
difputed.  Ought  thefe  difputes  to  be  made  terms  ? 
Can  the  precepts  be  extended  to  all  the  minute  and 
numerous,  or  only  to  the  general  and  important  afts 
of  public  worfhip,  or  of  common  life  ? 

Once  more,  as  the  plain,  general,  and  important 
doctrines  are  all  funimed  up  in  one  fhort  comprehsn- 
five  truth  :  fo  are  all  the  general,  plain,  and  impor- 
tant precepts  fummed  up  in  one  fhort  comprehenfive 
precept  given  by  Chriil;  himfeif.    This  is  Fellow 


C  51  ] 

me^  For  he  that  faith  he  abUleth  in  him,  ought 
himfelf  alio  fo  to  ivalk  even  as  he  walked,  i  John  ii. 
6. 

From  the  pra6liceof  Chrift  then  a  precept  may  be 
inferred ;  but  there  is  no  other  cafe  in  which  we 
(hould  fuppofe  a  precept  by  confequence  or  conftruc- 
tion. 

Would  to  God  that  one  half  of  that  zeal  which 
has  been  aimed  -dX  fuppofed  error,  or  at  pradice  con- 
trary to  fuppofed'^rcct^ts^  had  been  levelled  at  known 
acknowledged  vice.  Let  us  be  fevere  with  the  profane 
fwearer,  the  fabbath  breaker,  the  difobedient  to  pa- 
rents, the  fornicator,  the  fraudulent,  the  flanderer, 
&c.  but  let  us  fpare  the  opinions  of  men,  when  thefe 
opinions  are  not  followed  by  thefe  vices.  1  know 
that  fome  have  faid  "  Error  is  worfe  than  vice.'* 
What !  Is  an  error  about  infant-baptifm  or  church* 
government,  worfe  than  drunkennefs,  adultery,  ma- 
lice,  or  murder  !  What  can  lead  men  to  fuch  amaz- 
ing madnefs  ? 

Let  us,  my  brethren,  fearch  for  the  dodrines  and 
precepts,  and  pray  for  the  Spirit,  of  Chrifl:  ;  that  on 
this,  as  well  as  on  all  other  fubjedls,  we  may  be 
guided  unto  The  Truth. 

I  have  been  tedious,  and  therefore  (hall  fum  up  the 
remaining  duties.  The  next  I  fhall  mention  is,  the 
antient  and  important  duty  of  Catechifmg.|  Many 

f  Here  I  beg  leave  bi-Iefly  to  fuggefl:  to  my  brethren,  the  plan 
of  catechifing  from  the  Scriptures  as  the  platferm,  or  ground  of 
a  catechifm.  [  have  proceeded  from  Gen.  to  Job,  and  through 
part  of  the  four  Evangelirts  ;  and  defign,  if  God  permits,  to  pro- 
ceed on  to  the  end,  afldng  thofe  queftioris  that  lead  to  reading  and 
reflection.  I  have  found  it  prolitable  to  myfelf  and  my  people, 
and  can  venture  to  fay,  that  as  far  as  I  have  proceeded,  there  is 
not  a  coni^regation  on  the  continent,  as  well  acquainted  with  the 
Scriptures. 

The  Conj^^regation  I  have  divided  into  a  numli^r  of  divifions  of 
fifteen  or  fixteen  families  each,  afiigning  to  each  divifion  a  fctt  of 
written  qiieftions,  frona  one,  part  of  one,  or  two  books,  as  they 
may  be,  long  or  fhort,  in  each  Tellament  ;  catechifing  in  the 
morning  from  the  Old,  in  the  i'.iternoon  from  the  New  Teflamfnt; 


L    5^  1 

thi?igs  might  be  hid  on  this  fubjed,  but  1  forbear 
with  oniy  Qbfervingjthat  it  may  have  its  influence  cai 
both  fermons  and  iacraments,  by  preparing  t;he  mind 
to  be  profited  by  them. 

Another  duty  is  the  faithfid  and  frequent  adminifr 
tration  of  the  facraments.  This  has  a  more  immedi-. 
ate  regard  to  the  preachers  of  the  Gofpei,  who  are 
therefore  called  paftors  ;  but  it  has  a:fo  a  refped  to 
the  elderfhip,  in  whom  is  required  fidelity  in  admif-r 
fion.  The  principal  matter  here  is  to  underitand, 
and  apply  the  terms  of  communion. 

It  i^for  a  lamentation  that  the  frequent  adniiniftra^- 
tion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  incompatible  with  the  u- 
fual;  number  of  preachers,  fermons,  and  other  exer^ 
cifes  required  on  the  occafion.  When  prejudice  on 
this  fubjed,  will  admit  of  a  remedy,  is  more  than  \ 
can  determine.j 

In  the  lafl  place,  ic  is  the  duty  of  thofe  called  to 
the  altar,  to  vifit  families  and  fchools. 

aftd  clofing  all  by  calling  cn  the  youth,  to  repeat  the  Shorten  Cate- 
eliilm. 

This  fctt  of  fcriptural  queftions  thus  examiced  on,  pa fs  to  the 
next  diviTion  of  the  Con;;Tegation,  who  oftvii  atte  nd  as  lpe6tators> 
knowing  that  tiiey  zrt  next  to  be  examined  on  the  fame  quelticns. 
Thasin  rotation,  every  nidividual  will  be  examined  on  evei-y  part 
pi  the  Bible. 

X  r  have  compendized  the  arguments  for  the  iveekly  or  frequent 
adminiftration  from  Erflcine's  T'heologicalDifquifitiong. 

rhe  t;ime  of  the  paiTover  was  (ixt,  wliy  not  the  time  cf  the  eu- 

chanll? 

The  praftice  of  Chrill  and  his  Apoftles  is  equivalent  to  a  pre- 
cept for  the  change  of  the  fabbath.  Why  not  in  this  cafe  for  the 
v.'fekly  n.dminilb  ation  ? 

Tn  Luke  xxiv.  30,  compared  with  chap.  xxii.  19,  is  fuppofed 
to  be  an  account  of  the  Er.charift.  It  is  true,  that  bread  only  is 
inentioned  ;  but  it  is  fuppofed  to  be  an  emblem  of  the  whole  feall. 

In  A61s  ii.  42,— they  continued  in  breokiiig  of  bread  a-s  well  as  in 
dodlrine,  >.t£r  oikov  inthehoafe,  See  chap.  y.  4,  in  the  tt^mple, 
and  user  rviov  in  the  houfe  where  Chrift  firit  commiiiiicatcd. 

In  a£Isxx.  7, — the  firft  day  of  the  week  was  the  time  when  as 
«/lv?/the  difciples  came  together  to,  break  bread.  The  primitive 
^hriftians  called  the  Lord's,  day,  t^e  day  of  byead. 


C    53  ] 

I  da  not  know  that  either  of  thefe  is  expreffed  iu 
the  Scripture '  ;  but  they  are  praftices  that  have  ob- 
tained in  the  church,  and  are  to  be  regarded  as  du- 
ties ot  human  infHtution,  which  may  be  ufeiul  to  the 
young  riling  generation. (j 

It  is  alio  the  duty  of  the  preacher  or  elder,  or 
both,  to  viiit  families  when  any  of  their  members  are 
afflicted  with  ficknefs  or  other  calamity. 

in.  The  lafl:  general  divifion  of  the  fubjecl  is  to 
confider  the  qualifications,  and  duties  of  thofe  for 
whom  the  facriiices  are  to  be  offered. 

Jj  The  above  paragrapli  is  not  exacily  as  it  was  fpoken  at  Sa- 
il m  ;  but  it  is  immaterial,  fiiice  the  objetlion  only  was,  "  Family-t 
vilitatian  treated  too  lightly."  The  objection  arofe  from  a  refoln- 
tion  from  which  I  receded,  and  a  fenti meat  which  I  maintained 
and  dill  maintain. 

The  refolution  was,  in  thefe  words,  that  *^  Were  I  again  to 
take  a  parochial  charge,  I  would  only  engage  to  vifit  the  families 
already  formed  once  in  tlic  minillcrial  way,  and  the  young  rifmg 
families  as  they  might  be  formed."  From  this  refolution  1  re- 
ceeded,  for  the  reafons  that  will  be  mentioned. 

The  fentiment  was,  that  family-vifiting  is,  like  a  faft-day  previ- 
ous to  the  communion,  a  duty  of  Ziuwrt/z  inftitution.  Mr.  Doke 
faid,  and  I  fuppofe  ftill  fays,  divine.  This  was  the  laft  fubjeCk  of 
debate. 

Mr.  Doke's  rcafoning  appeared  to  be  from  things  that  no-zv  arc 
tQ  things  that  formv-'rly  "j^ere  not.  This  and  vice  verfa  ai-e  fruitful 
fources  of  deception,  nay  perfecution  and  death.  Idolatry  under 
the  theocracy  was  trealon  ;  not  fo  now  ;  yet  the  ignorance  of  this, 
has  filed  oceans  of  human  blood. 

How  abfurd  to  fpeak  of  Mofes.,  See  A£ls  vii.  25,  'Vf/jfing  his 
brethren,  as  if  Mofes  had  been  a  member  of  Abington  prefbytery^ 
ordained  to  ferve  a  congregation,  riding  about  with  his  elder  to 
exhort,  catechife,  and  pray  for  the  family,  who  are  ail  at  perfe<^ 
U.berty  and  leifure  to  attend  to  the  iu{lru«?aon  1 

The  fad,  when  "iiivcdigated,  turns  out  to  be,  that  Mofes  V7z^ 
then  no  mini/ier  at  all,  that  the  people  his  brethren  were  near  half 
a  million  in  number,  that  they  wxre  fcattered  over  the  land  of  E- 
gypt,  and  had  no  leifure  from  their  tallc-mailers  to  attend  to  any 
thing  but  their  talks.  The  whole  matter  is,  Mofes  took  a  tour 
through  the  land  to  Tee  how  his  brethren  were  treated  by  their  E- 
g^'ptian  mailers.  This  tour  is  expreifed  by  a  ivcnl  that  fuits  a 
purpofe,  and  behold  we  aye  amufed  with  a  found  / 

But  wo  to  the  pallors  that  ^oift  not  my  fiocks.''  See  Jer. 
Xxiii.  How  ridiculous  for  m.cn,  who  ought  to  'invej}igaie  thlngSy  ta 


[    54  ] 

After  all  that  has  been  faid,  a  few  things  on  this 
fubjed  may  fuffice. 

The  firft  thing  required  is  religion.  Thou  flialt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  Deut.  vi. 
4.  and  thy  neighbour  as  thylelf,  Lev.  xix.  18.  This 
was  required  in  the  Jewifh  and  in  all  other  difpenfa- 
tions.  See  Pf.  1.  5 — 16.  Matt,  v.  23.  Tit.  ii. 
11,12.    I  Pet.  ii.  19. 

be  deceived  with  fouEds.  WIio  were  thofe  paftors  !  neither  pricft 
nor  prophet,  thele  are  not  named  till  the  nth  vcrfe  ;  but  Zedcki- 
ah  and  his  court,  fays  the  judicious  Pool,  and  perhaps  Nehemiah 
in  tne  4th  verfe. 

The  prophets  refided  in  their  fchools,  and  the  priefts  in  their 
foriy-eight  cities  ^ffigned  them  by  Jofhua  ;  and  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other  had,  as  we  now  have,  particular  parochial  charges  to 
refide  in.  The  prieils  went  up  in  their  turn  to,  and  returned  a- 
gain  from,  the  national  altar. 

"  But  Paul  vifited  the  brethren,  and  taught  from  houfe  to 
houfe."    See  Acls  xv.  36,  and  xx.  20. 

I  reply,  there  U  a  difference  between  v't/itlng  churches  ^  and  fami- 
lies in  a  church.  Paul's  vilit  began,  chap.  xiii.  froir.  Antioch  to 
l^eleucia,  from  Seleucia  to  Salamis,  from  Salamis  to  Paphos,  from 
Paphos  to  Perga,  from  Perga  to  Antiochin  Pifidia,  and  fo  along 
to  many  another  place,  until  his  return  to  the  other  Antioch, 
from  which  he  departed.    This  was  Paul's  vifit. 

"  But  he  refided  three  years  at  hphefus,  and  taught  from 
houfe  to  houfe." 

I  reply  Ephefuo  was  a  large  city,  including  a  large  neighbour- 
ing diihift  :  See  ail  the  commentators,  Wliitfcy  in  particular. 

The  original  words  are  xa^  crf/xc/;:?/,  in  or  according  to  houfes  5 
xxTi  oiKHo-  is  in  or  according  to  the  day.  The  words  plainly  ex- 
prcfs  the  manner  of  teaching  in  private  houfcfi,  for  the  Chriftians 
did  not  worfhip  in  heathen  temples,  and  they  had  not  cverj'- 
where  erefted  churches  for  themfelves.  This  lYot  only  correfponds 
with  the  original,  but  with  the  iiate  of  fociety  at  that  time. 

There  is  no  difpute  about  the  dutyj  but  crlgin  of  the  duty.  I 
praftife  it,  becaufe  it  is  a  ctificm  that  has  obtained  in  the  churches, 
a  cullom  that  may  be  ufeful,  and  the  omiCicn  of  which  would  give 
offence. 

The  ApoHle  has  afted  on  thefe  principles,  with  refpecl  to  meat 
offered  to  idols,  but  at  the  fame  time  he  has  told  the  tnUh,  about 
that  mtat.  I  would  wifh  to  unite  fuch  honcdy  and  fuch  charity  in 
all  the  cafes  that  may  require  them  to  be  united. 

This  clofes  the  objeclions,  as  fsr  as  I'know  them.  To  me  they 
have  appeared  of  little  confequence,  except  thofe  that  regard 
Terms  of  communio??.   On  that  difficult  fubjc6^,  I  have  fecured  to 


C   55  ] 

In  admitting  to  the  altar,  it  has  been  afked,  Who 
is  the  judge  of  thi^-  quaUfication  ?  1  anfwer,  both  the 
man  who  ftands  at  the  altar  to  receive  the  gift,  and 
the  man  who  brings  it.  What  man  knoweth  the 
thing  of  a  man,  fave  the  fpirit  of  man,  which  is  in 
him  ?  The  fruits  can  be  known  by  all.  See  Matt, 
iii.  8. 

Of  thefe  fruits,  he  who  ftands  at  the  altar  can 
judge,  and  they  are 

I.  Knowledge,  in  oppofition  to  ignorance.  The 
neceflityof  this,  was  fuppofed  by  the  fm-ofFering  for 
ignorance  under  the  law,  and  in  all  ages,  the  more 
refined  and  moral  facrifices  of  prayer  and  praife,  re- 
quired knowledge.  See  Pf.  xlvii.  7.  i  Cor.  xiv. 
15.   This  knowledge  ought  to  be  extenfive,  becaufe 

niyfelf  a  fafe  retreat,  fhould  the  ground  be  untenable.  For  in 
that  cafe,  either  the  terms  enumerated  are  more  or  lejs  than  they 
fliould  br,  /  ha've  not  pmiended  to  a  p2rfecl  enumeration.  Should 
any  man  convince  me,  that  a  term  is  to  be  added,  I  will  add  it. 
Should  any  convince  me,  that  a  term  is  to  be  ftricken  out,  it  fliall 
be  ftricken  out. 

That  the  terms  are  already  made,  to  me  appears  demonilrable. 
For  either  Chrill  has  made  them,  or  1  .  ft  them  for  men  to  make. 

If  Chrift  has  made  them,  all  is  eafy,  we  have  only  tojznd  and 
execute  them. 

If  men  are  to  malr  them,  all  is  confufion,  cither  all  opinions 
mull  be  made  terms,  or  no  opinions  mud  be  made  terms  ;  or  every 
church  and  individual  mull  Jraiu  the  line  where  they  pleafe. 

Mr.  Doke  will  never  admit  all  opinions  to  be  made  terms,  his 
own  muft  be  excepted. 

He  will  not  admit,  that  no  opinions  be  made  terms,  for  h.z 
would  be  willing  that  mine  were  excepted. 

He  will  not  admit  me  to  draw  the  line  where  I  pleafe  ;  though 
it  Teems  that  he  would  be  glad  to  have  that  liberty  to  himfelf. 

The  truth  I  believe  is  this,  that  neither  he  nor  I,  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  fabricriting  terms.  I  believe  that  Chrill  has  faved 
us  the  trouble,  by  making  them  himfelf ;  and  that  ourbufmefs  is, 
to fearch  andj^«^them,  ^mlex'.cute  them.  For  in  the  Scriptures, 
thefe  terms  arc,  and  in  the  words  v/hich  the  Holy  Ghcft  teacheth, 
are  they  expreffcid.  And  before  many  years  (hail  this  fubjec^  be 
perfedlly  underftood.  God  grant  that  we  may  be  lead  to  that 
knowledge,  which  will  fo  much  tend  to  promote  brotherly  love  a- 
mong  the  children  of  Gad,  vrhetlier  of  the  fame,  or  of  different 
denominations.  Amen. 


C  56  1 

<io<i\rines  afe  conneded,  and  no  one  can  be  undeN 
flood  apart. 

^.  Another  qualification  i^  truth,  as  oppofed  to  e^* 
ror.    Here  we  recur  to  docVrinai  terms. 

3.  Another  is  morality  or  holinefs,  in  oppofition 
to  vice:  God  always  required  his  people  to  be  holr. 
Here  we  recur  to  ^r6'v:<r/>//T>^  terms.* 

Should  any  fay  that  thefe  terms  reach  not  men's 
hearts,  I  alk,  What  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a 
man  ?  Were  I  to  exclude  the  man  who  might  think 
^/<5«(^^f/^///y  of  himfelf,  and  who  was  walking  ?.nd  will- 
ing to  walk  in  the  commandments,  I  would  found 
the  exclufion,  not  on  his  keeping  the  command- 
ments, but  on  his  opinion  of  himfeif. 

4.  Your  duties,  brethren,  viewed  through  the 
medium  of  the  text,  are— ^to  prefent  your  oiferings 
—to  declare  your  faith— to  promife  or  vow  obedi- 
ence— -and  daily  to  be  performing  your  vows.  See 
Pfa.  Ixi.  ult.  .  .  *  You  are, 

I.  To  prefent  your  offerings.  Thefe  are  your" 
felves,  your  children,  and  your  fubftance-.  Prefent 
your  bodies,  and  fouls  too,  with  all  their  powers,  a 
living  facriiice. — This  facrihce  you  are  to  prefent  on 
the  Holy  Day,  with  praife  and  prayer.  Without 
this,  you  cannot  gain  knowledge,  nor  fulfil  your 
vows  to  wait  at  wifdom's  gates.  Without  this,  your 
teachers  will  attend  the  altar  in  vain. 

You  are  again  to  prefent  your  little  ones.  Thefe 
you  are  to  offer,  not  in  blood  to  Molech,  but  to  God 

*  Some  have  fuppcfcd  dilTerent  qualifications  in  the  patriar- 
chal, or  rather,  Jewifli  and  Chriltian  churches  ;  that  two  cove- 
nants were  made  with  Ifracl,  the  firll  fpiritua],  fee  Gen,  xvii.  and 
Deut.  xxix,  the  fccond  temporal,  of  whicli,  lee  Exod.  kxxv.  7. 
Deut.  V.  2,3.  Of  thefe  the  firft  is  fnppoied  to  be  continued,  fef 
Jcr.  xxxi.  31.  Heb.  vi;i.  8  ;  and  of  this,  hypocrites  are  fuppofcd 
to  be  members.  See  more  on  this  fubjecl>  in  Erfl-Jne's  Theolo- 
gical Difquifitions. 

It  is  true,  that  iiypocrites  receive  not  the  fpiritual  blefiings  ; 
but  with  refpeft  to  the  terms  of  admilfion  to  the  external  privi- 
leges, the  qiieftion  \W\\  returns.  What  man  knoweth  the  things 
of  a  man,  favc  the  fpirit  of  man  which  is  in  him  f 


C   57  ] 

iti  baptifm;  to  that  God  to  whom  your  parents  die* 
voted  you.    In   his  name  offer  them,   who  faid^ 
Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid 
them  not." 

Once  more,  you  are  to  offer  your  fubflance  to. 
God.  This  is  at  once,  to  worfhip  him  and  fupport 
the  akar,  for  God  has  ordained,  that  they  who  ferve 
at  the  altar,  fhall  live  by  the  altar,  and  that  they  who 
preach  the  gofpel  (hall  live  of  the  gofpeL 

This  i  a  re  fonable  fervice,  founded  on  the  prin- 
ciples of  juRiceand  equity,  and  on  the  pra(^l:ice  of 
the  Jews,  who  gave  to  God,  fonie  think,  a  fifth  part 
of  their  property.  How  much  lighter  is  the  burden 
now  ?  All  are  at  liberty.  Some  give  not  at  all,  and 
none  need  offet  a  fftieth  part  of  their  poffeffions  to 
give  teachers  a  decent  fupport.  Again, 

You  are,  with  your  offerings,  to  make  a  decla* 
ration  of  your  faith,  and  a  vow  of  obedience.  I 
name  thefe  together,  becaufe  they  are  conneded. 
Sonie  have  faid,  that  thefe  things  ought  not  to  be 
demanded  ;  becaufe  it  fubjeds  the  ofTerer  to  vow^ 
he  knows  not  what,  in  the  extempore  words  of  him, 
who,  at  the  altar,  demands  them.  Who,  fay  they, 
would  take  a  civil  oath  in  the  unforeknown  and  ex* 
tempore  words  of  a  magiftrate  ? 

For  my  own  part,  1  thinks  with  the  church,  that 
they  ought  to  be  demanded  ;  but  in  words  which 
the  Holy  Ghoff  teacheth,  and  Words  previoufiy 
known,  and  then  the  objeclion  would  lofe  all  its 
force* 

To  me  this  appears,  from  the  nature  of  a  covetiant 
which  is  made  by  facrifice,  fee  Pfa.  1.  5.  In  all  cove- 
nants, are  parties,  -promifes^  conditions,  and  penal- 
ties. The  conditions  have  always  been  exprefled  or 
implied*  In  the  firff  covenant  the  woman  exprefsly 
fays,  Gen.  iii.  3.  Of  the  tree  in  the  midft  of  the 
garden,  God  hath  faid,  ye  (liall  not  eat."  When  the 
book  of  the  covenant  was  read  at  Sinai,  the  people 
fxprefsly  fay,  "  All  that  the  Lord  hath  faid  will  we 
do,  and  be  obedient."    Kxod.  xxlv.  7.    See  alfo 

li 


(    58  ) 

Deut.  xxvi.  And  in  a  prophecy  of  the  days  of  the 
gofpel,  it  is  exprefsly  faid,  fee  Ifai.  xliv.  4.  "  I  will 
pour  water  on  him  that  is  thirfty — and  then  it  fol- 
lows, verfe  5,  "  One  Avail  fay,  I  am  the  Lord's — 
and  another  ihall  fubfcrihe  with  his  hand  unto  the 
Lord/'  Surely  this  expreifes  a  proviife,  ^  We  have 
already  feen,  that  an  exprefs  declaration  of  faith 
was  required  of  the  eunuch.  Ads  viii.  "  If  thou  be- 
lieveft  with  all  thine  heart,  &c."  This  may  include 
a  promile  of  obedience,  for  uitb  the  heart  snan  be- 
heveth  unto  1  igbteoujnefs^ — to  the  attainment  of  righ- 
teoufneis,  Rom.  x.  10,  whether  it  be  the  rigbtecuf- 
nefs  which  is  of  faith,  verfe  6,  or  the  righteoufnefs 
of  him  that  doeth  righteoufnefs,  i  John  ii.  29.  To 
fuch  a  declaration  and  promifc  is  the  anfwer  of  a 
good  confcience,  i  f  et.  iii.  2.  fuppofed  to  refer  ; 
the  apoftle  is  fpeaking  of  baptifm,  in  which  an  an- 
fwer is  expefted  from  ihe  perfon  admitted,  to  a  quef- 
tion,  propofed  by  him  v/ho  admits  him.  The  bed 
anfwer,  in  this  cafe,  is  that  which  is  dictated  by  a 
good  confcience,  in  fmcerity  declaring  our  faith,  and 
in  fincerity  refolving  to  obey. 

Now  baptifm  is  confidered  as  the  feal  of  a  covejiant^ 
and  as  it  is  the  firft  feal,  the  initiating  ordinance,  it 
is  proper  that  the  promife  or  vow  be  taken  at  bap- 
tifm ;  and  for  the  fame  reaTon,  it  is  not  necelTary 
that  it  be  afterwards  made  at  the  euchariit  ;  becaufe 
though  it  alfo  be  a  facrament  of  the  New  Teftament, 
yet  it  is  not  a  facrament  that  introduces  into  the 
church.  It  fuppofes  that  we  have  been  introduced 
already. 

On  thefc  principles  the  church  has  a  fcriptural 
right  to  demand  of  parents,  vwho  prefent  their  chil- 
dren, or  of  adults,  who  prefent  themfelves,  that 
they  profefs  their  faith  in  Chrifl  and  obedience  to 
him."  But  the  profefhon  and  promife  ought  to  be 
in  words  previonjly  known,  and,  if  pofTible,  in  words 
which  the  Holy  Ghoii:  teacheth.*     Why  Ihouid  w^e 

*  Q^eir,  W!iy  has  not  this  been  attempted  In  the  orcIinatlQi^' 
vows,  in  the  Diredory  for  Ordination  ? 


(    59  ) 

trifle  with  the  confciences  of  men,  when  the  remedy 
is  lb  eafy  ?  "  Do  you  beUeve  with  all  your  heart, 
that  Jelus  Chrifl  is  the  Son  of  God  ?  Or  that  Jetas 
Chrilt  is  come  in  the  fle(h  ?  '  Do  you  promife  for 
yourfelves,  that  you  feek  the  "  anfwer  of  a  good  cnn- 
fcience  towards  God,  by  the  refurredlion  of  Jefus 
(^^hriit  r — that  you  no  longer  (hould  live  the  reil  of 
your  time  in  the-flefli  to  the  lufls  of  men,  but  to  the 
will  of  God  ?"  "  That  being  buried  with  Chrift 
by  baptifm  unto  death,  you  alfo  fhould  walk  in 
nevvnefs  of  life  ?  And  for  your  children,  that  you 
will  try  to  "  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  ad- 
monition of  the  Lord."  And  "  train  them  up  in  the 
way  they  fhould  go  See  A6ls  viii.  37.  1  Pet.  iii. 
21,  iv.  3.  Rom.  vi.  3,  4.  Eph.  vi.  4,  Prov.  xxii.  6. 

Such  an  oath,  or  rather,  fuc-h  a  vow  might  be  ex- 
plained by  the  preacher  ;  as  a  civil  oath  might  be  ex- 
plained by  the  magiflrate  at  the  time  of  adminifter- 
ing  ;  but  the  words  of  the  oath,  and  not  of  the  ex- 
planation, are  necelTary  to  be  previoufly  known,  and 
finally  uttered  before  God. 

Thus  having  our  hearts  fprinkled  from  an  evil 
confcience,  and  our  bodies  waflied  with  pure  water, 
let  us  hold  fad  the  profeffion  of  our  faith^  without  wa- 
vering." And  having  made  our  vows  to  God,  let 
us  not  defer  to  pay  ;  but  daily  perform  the  fame. 

This  is  the  laft,  but  not  leaft  exteniive  particular 
of  our  duty.  It  extends  to  all  the  duties  of  future 
life,  and  it  extends,  with  only  fome  changes  or  mo- 
difications, to  thefe  duties  for  ever.  For  the  fervice 
of  God  here  is  a  figure  ox  ■pattern  of  his  fervice  here- 
after, and  is  intended  to  prepare  for  and  introduce 
to  it.    See  Heb.  ix. 

The    improve  M  E  N  T. 

WHO  can  reflecl  on  the  various  kinds  of  facrifi- 
ces,  the  various  claifes  of  men  to  offer  them,  and  the 

Quere.  Why  are  not  the  words  of  the  profeffion  and  prcmife, 
i.  e.  of  the  vow,  expreffcd  iu  the  Diredory  for  BapLinn  ? 


C    6a  ] 

Tar*oiis  ages  in  which  they  have  been  introduced,  and 
no  cry  out,  "  O !  the  wiTdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  I  '  Can  you,  my  brethren,,  forbear  to  make 
this  holy  exclamation  ? 

Human  wifdom  icarcely  gains  a  fingle  object  by  a 
thoufand  means.  Divine  wiidom  can  gain  a  thou* 
fand  objeds  by  one  fmgle  mean. 

Who  would  have  thought  it  poflible,  with  only 
two  or  three  fpecies  of  animals  and  vegetables,  to  ex> 
hibit  almoit  every  known  attribute  in  the  divine  na- 
ture, and  each  attribute  in  every  pofhble  attitude  or 
view  ? 

Who  would  have  t?ionght  it  pofTible,  with  the 
one  burnt-olFering,  to  have  exliibited  juftice  de- 
nouncing, condemning,  confuming,  fubftituting, 
fparing,  pardoning,  and  acquitting  ? 

Who  would  have  thought  it  poffible,  by  the  one 
peace-offering,  to  fhew  mercy,  founded  on  the  atone- 
ment, procured  by  blood,  daily  experienced  or  enjoy- 
ed, bertowed  fometimes  in  an  extraordinary  manner,, 
and,  by  prayer  expected  iox  time  to  come^  For  this 
offering  w^a  fometimes  a  vidim,  it  was  ftated  or  dai- 
ly, and  it  was  free  or  voluntary,  that  is,  on  extraor- 
dinary occafions ;  and  it  was  euchariftic  and  votive^ 
or  offered  with  thankfgiving  and  prayer.  See  Lev* 
vii. 

Laws  are  not  made  for  the  righteous,  but  tranf- 
greffors.  How  wife  and  juft  is  that  law  which  taxes 
the  fmner  to  fupport  the  government  which  his  crimes 
make  neceffary,  and  thus  obliges  him  to  pay  better 
men  for  puniffiing  his  crimes., 

Becaule  all  were,  in  fome  degree,  fmners,  there- 
fore,^y^<^/^^  offerings  v/ere  demanded  of  all  ;  but  ex- 
cept the  man  who  would  not  know,  nor  do  his  duty, 
none  need  bring  a  ^r^}/?:7/}-offering,  or  a  fin-offering 
for  ignorance.  Thefe  operated  as  a  direct  tax  on  the 
tranfgreffor,.  whether  he  tranfgreffed  by  negleding 
in(lrucl;ion,or  finning  againPt  knowledge.  May  I  be 
permitted  to  afK,  whether  a  prefent  law,  fo  much  ex- 


(   6i  > 

claimed  againft,  be  not  founded  on  this  exceHent 
principle  ?* 

Again,  Who  does  not  fee  wifdom  in  accommodate 
imr  every  thing  to  the  progreffive  ftate  of  fociety  ? 
This  might  be  illuftrated  in  many  a  particular.  1  ie- 
lecl  but  one.  The  facrifice  were,  at  firft,  the  means, 
of  vvorfhip  ;  when  fociety  required,  they  became  al- 
fo  an  engine  of  government,  and  continued  to  fci  ve 
both  purpofes  as  long  as,  and  no  longer  than,  vv^as 
neceilary.  For  how  improper,  how  inconvenient, 
were  fuch  facrifices  at  this  age,  either  for  thev/orfhip 
of  God,  or  the  fupport  of  government  ?  It  was  other- 
wife,  v/hen  men's  wealth  confided  in  their  flocks,  and. 
when  the  Great  Sacri6ce  was  yet  to  be  offered. 

2.  Are  the  qualifications  of  thofe  who  ftand  at  the 
altar  fo  extenfive  and  encreafmg  ?  Are  the  duties  fo 
numerous  and  important  ?  Then  let  us  labour  to  at- 
tain the  one,  and  execute  the  other.  And  let  us  fee 
that  they  be  attained  and  executed  by  thofe  to  whom 
we  fay,  "  Go  unto  the  altar, 

Let  us  not  dare  to  reft  contented  with  the  attain- 
ments that  might  have  fufficed  for  Abel,  Aaron,  or 
even  Ezra.  Let  us  remember,  that  we  live  in  ano- 
ther age  of  the  world — an  age,  in  which  far  higher 
qualifications  are  requifite. 

Let  us  take  heed  to  our/elves^ — to  our  hearts  and 
lives.  Though  external  qualifications  differ,  as  the 
flateand  ftages  of  fociety,  yet  the  religion  of  the  heart 
is  the  fame  in  all  ages.  And  in  no  age  are  the 
minifters  of  religion  free  from  the  danger  of  miftak- 
ing  its  nature  and  neglecting  its  duties. 

Let  us  then,  while  explaining  and  recommending 
religion  to  others,  frequently  view  it  with  reference 
to  ourfelvcs.  And  let  us,  ourfelves,  beware  of  the 
miftakes  or  omiffions  we  point  out  to  others.  When 
we  happen  to  be  hearers,  which  in  the  prefent  flare  of 
our  country  is  feldom,  let  us  be  hearers.  Let  our 
hearts  be  rather  employed  in  applying  the  truths  to 

*  The  queflios  above  alludes  to  the  tax  on  fpirltuous  Iiq[uorSj, 
laid  on  by  congrefs. 


(    62  ) 

ourfelves,  than  in  confidering  how  we  afterwards 
apply  them  to  others.  Let  us  be  at  leail:  bearers  as 
well  as  preachers. 

And  while  we  are  charging  others  to  realize  the  om- 
niprefence  of  the  Deity,  while  we  are  guarding  them 
againll  indolence  in  their  callings,  againit  the  inordi- 
nate love  of  t^he  world,  the  fear  of  man,  that  bringeth 
afnare,  <  r  the  love  of  popular  applaufe,  we  ought  al- 
ways to  let  the  example,  and  begin  with  ourfelves. 

Let  us  alio  take  heed  to  our  dodrines,  both  in  matter 
and  manner. 

Let  the  matter  of  our  fermons  be  Chrift,  and  him 
crucified.  Every  fubjed:  may  be  pointed  at  this  one. 
Are  we  explaining  the  prophecies  or  promifes  I 
Chriji  is  the  Jpirit  of  prophef\'^  and  in  him  are  all  the 
promifes^  yea^  and  Amen.  Are  we  preaching  the  law  ? 
Chrilt  i  the  end  of  the  law.  Are  we  preaching  the 
Gofpel.  The  Gofpel  is,  that  Chrill:  died  and  rofe 
again.  And  are  we  explaining  the  facrifices  ?  Chrill 
is  the  great  facrifice. 

Again,  let  us  aim  at  preaching  thefe  truths  with 
plainnefs,  not  in  the  words  which  man's  wifdom 
teacheth  ;  but  which  the  Holy  Gholl  teacheth.  Not 
by  conflraint,  but  willingly.  True,  neceffity  is  laid 
on  us ;  but  it  ought  to  be  the  neceffity  of  being  wil- 
ling. This  will  produce  diligence  and  fidelity,  and 
if  ail  be  directed  by  a  proper  knowledge,  the  dodrines 
will  be  preached  in  their  proper  order  and  propor- 
tion. 

This  is  a  fubje(^l  of  importance  ; — let  not  our  cen- 
fiant  hearers  be  continually  flying  after  us  from  cne 
iinconncfted  fubjed:  to  another  ;  but  let  us  give  them 
a  view  of  the  dodrines  in  their  connection,  llill  re- 
ferving  the  liberty  of  introducing  an  occafional  dif- 
courfe,  as  che  ftate  and  exigency  of  our  people  may 
require. 

Let  us  again,  attend  to  the  proportion  as  well  as 
order  of  the  dodrines.  On  fonie  fubjeds,  as  on  fome 
mufical  notes,  we  mull  dwell  much  longer  than 
on  others.    Who  would  dwell  as  long  in  explaining 


(    63  ) 

the  innocent  as  the  fallen  ftate  !  The  fcriptures  have 
not  done  it,  and  they  are  on  this  fubjecl,  as  well  as 
all  others,  our  beft  and  fureft  guide. 

In  the  exercife  of  diicipline,  let  us  try  to  under- 
ftand  that  very  difficult  and  difputed  doQrine  refped- 
ing  terms  of  communion.  Let  us  attempt  to  divefl: 
ourfelves  of  prejudice,  and  to  keep  our  minds  open 
to  a  fair  and  candid  difcuffion,  and  let  us  refolve  to 
follow  the  truth,  wherever  it  may  lead,  in  theory  or 
practice.  And  let  us  be  fo  honefi:  as  to  have  the 
terms  executed,  when  we  find  them  without  partiali- 
ty, without  hypocrify,  without  doing  any  thing 
with  a  view  to  the  fear  or  the  favour  of  men. 

Let  us  alfo  be  the  men  of  mercy.  Social  duties 
are  divided  into  two  clafTes,  thofe  of  juflice  and  chari- 
ty. The  miniiter  of  ftate  is  placed  in  the  centre  of 
the  duties  of  juftice,  there  is  he  more  immediately 
to  ferve  fociety.  The  minifter  of  religion  ftands  in 
the  centre  of  the  duties  of  mercy,  and  there  is  he  cal- 
led more  immediately  to  acl.  Let  us  remember  that 
without  being  exempted  from  the  duties  of  juftice, 
we  are  bound  to  "  Jhew  mercy ^  and  to  Jheiv  ?nercy 
with  cheer fulnefs,** 

In  the  introdudion  of  others  into  the  miniftry,  let 
us  beware  of  "  heaping"  to  ourfelves  "teachers." 
Let  us  rather  call  ior  more  qualifications,  than  dif- 
p^^nfe  with  any  already  demanded.  Let  us  rather 
think  of  enlarging  than  leif:ening  the  time  for  acquir- 
ing them.  The  progrefs  of  fociety  always  rifes  in 
demandiug  qualifications  in  exa61:  proportion  to  the 
means  it  affords  for  obtaining  them.  Hitherto,  nei- 
ther demand  nor  means  have  been  very  extenfive.  It 
will  foon  be  otherwife.  In  the  Northern  churches  it 
is  otherwife  already,  and  they  have  accordingly  de- 
manded,  "  more  time,  higher  qualiiications.**'  We 

*  This  allncles  to  a  motion  mcsde  by  ~Dv.  Wit]ieTf|)oon,  in  the 
Geiieral  aOTfnfbly,  at  Ciirliflt',  Mav  1793,  requiring  thp.t  oi'.rvoiin^ 
m-ju  fliould  fpcnd  three  years  Ifi  the  ftiidy  of  Divinity,  previoufly 
fo  licenfure.'  I  will  heartily  concur  wi^h  this  menfure  on  the  li- 
cenfure  of  the  Mrft  man  ivh;)  fiiail  have  I'i'iirn^u  his  education  at  the 
youn^  riiiiig'  v.Jtiivev;jtv  in  North  Carv)lw'!H. 


(  H  ) 

liope  they  will  wait  on  us  a  few  years,  we  hope  th-ey 
wir  confider  how  many  in  literature  and  age  they  are 
belore  us.  But  we  mull  beg  but  a  few:;  our  'own 
intcreft,  and,  we  hope,  the  ftate  of  literature  among 
us,  will  afk  no  more. 

Let  u  ,  my  brethren  in  the  niiniftry>,  let  us  leav^ 
it  to  others  to  multiply  teachers  and  depreciate  hu* 
man  knowledge.  Far  more  is  loft,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  judicious,  by  the  5'^^^.///)' of  fuch  preachers,  than 
can  poiiibly  be  gained  by  their  quantity  or  number, 
Let  others  tell  the  world  that  learning  is  injurious 
to  rel  gion.  We  know  that  this  is  not  true  ;  and  we 
hop.  thi:t  it  will  not  be  much  longer  believed  by  the 
moit  ft  Lipid  perfon  among  us4 

As  religion  is  the  grand  qualification,  and  as  early 
religion  is  fo  very  defirable,  let  us  encourage  early 
piety  wherever  we  may  find  it.  Let  us  flretch  out 
the  hand  of  charity  to  the  poor  pious  youth  who 
ihew.-  a  tafte  for  knowledge,  human  and  divine  ;  and 
let  us  endeavour,  as  far  wc  can,  to  unite  early  pie- 
ty with  an  early  and  weil  conduded  education.  In 
the  preacher  religion  and  learning,  or  knowledge  hu* 
man  and  divine  Ihould  ever  be  united. 

\  I  have  often  been  furprizerl  that  it  fhould  be  faid  that  Chrifl 
and  his  Apoftles  were  unlearned  men,  and  thai  this  fr.ould  be  brought 
as  a  proof  of  the  truth  and  divir.ity  of  the  Scriptures,  when  the 
original  only  conveys  the  ideaXiiat  they  were pn'Vate  ?tmi,  and  not 
/tf^?-^^^/ by  their  enemies.    See  "  John  vii.  15."   "  Afts  v.  13." 

"What  is  h-arning  ?  It  is  the  vfdful  knowledge  of  the  times  or  ag« 
we  live  in,  whatever  tlratbe. 

\V h^'t  \y:xs  ihc  j^c'^zi'/Jh  /rarninv  P  It  was  the  kilowledge  of  two 
dialefts  Hebrew  and  Chiddee.  It  was  the  knowk'dge  of  the  Jew- 
ifn  mufic,  hiftory,  laws,  miracles,  and  prophecy.  Nothing  mcret 
In  which  of  thefc  were  they  kfs  Iea}-ried  than  the  Scribes  ?  Geogra- 
phy, Agronomy,  Mathematics,  Sarveyhig,  Navigation,  Natural 
and  Mojal  Philcyiophy,  and  Logic  were  unknown  or  little  known 
in  the  Jewifli  Acadeinies. 

**  But  they — i:he  Apoilles,  have  fpokcn  agair.it  learning- as  mak- 
ing men  proud.  *  I  reply.  May  not  men  he  as  proud  of  wanting, 
as  of  having  it  ?  Were  IVlof^G,  Solomon,  ifaiah,  or  Paul  prouder 
than  the  other  facnd  writers  ;  and  they  had  ten  times  as  much 
learning.  It  is  only  by  ignorance  ar/d  p:;de  thrit  learning  h 
defpifed. 


(    ^5  ) 

*-d.    In  the  lail  place,  think  of  your  (lu^llificatlons' 
nnd  duties,  ye  that  come  to  the  ahar  with  yoiir  Macri-' 
ii^ce.    If  the  demands  be  rifing  in  every  age  On  the- 
preachers,  it  is'rifing  on  the  people.    Have  you^  my^ 
friends,  thought  on  this?  Can  you  iiriagine  that  ail 
the  qualifications  and  duties  are  on  the  part  of  hinT 
who  (lands  at  the  altar,  and  none  on  his  part  who 
brings  the  gift?.  Can  you  afiign  one  realon'  Why  >the 
man  of  fourfcore  fliould  not  be  fuperior  lo  the  ycii^g' 
preacher  of  twenty  ?  I  do  not  me?n  in  the  kiur»V-' 
ledge  of  words,  or  in  the  habit  of  writing  or  l*:  :J  - 
ing,  but  I  mean  m  the  knowledge  of  doclrine.v  a^d 
progrefs  of  true  religion  on  the  heart.     '-"'^  ■'''^  -  • 

Ye  aged  and  young  men,  confidcr  the  quahiic^i^; 
tions  of  thofe  who  come  to  the  altar.  Seek  fir fu-  the- 
kingdom  of  God*  Be  truly  religious.  Seek  for 
knowledge.  Lift  up  your  voice  for  underftandiri^v 
Search  for  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  je-* 
fus.  Avoid  error  and  prejudice.  Follow- the  "truth 
wherever  it  may  lead  you,  and  make  ule  of  our  minil- 
try  in  order  to  obtain  it ;  but  always  thhik  for  your- 
felves.  Search  the  Scriptures  to  fee  whether  v/hat 
we  tell  you  be  fo.  Encreafe  our  neceflity  to  fcarcli 
them,  by  following  hard  after  us  and  forcing  us  to 
keep  before  you.  This  is  your  advantage,  that  it  is 
eafier  to  weigh  the  force  of  arguments  already  found, 
than  to  fmd  arrange  and  cloth  them  with  words. 

My  friends,  you  have  more  to  know  and  to  do  than 
any  people  ever  had  before  you.  Ceafe  to  do  evil. 
Learn  to  do  well.  Be  a  holy  people.  Let  your 
knowledge  be  in  order  to  holinefs.  Holinefs  v/ill 
encreafe  knowledge.  Then  fhall  you  know,  if  you 
follow  on  to  know  the  Lord. 

Confider  your  duties  as  well  as  qualifications. 
Prefent  your  bodies  a  living  facrifice.  Prefent  your- 
felves  before  God,  on  the  Holy  day.  Meet  with  your 
teachers  at  the  gates  ofwifdom,  and  hear  from  them 
the  word  of  God.  Prefent  your  children  to  Cod  on  the 
carlieil  occafion,  and  fo  live  that  there  may  be  no  ob- 
ifacles  in  your  way  to  baptifm.    Honour  God  with 

1 


(    S6  ) 

your  fubftance.  Offer  your  fin-nloney,  ind  trefp^ft- 
money  when  it  is  juftly  demanded.  This  is  a  rea- 
fonable  fervice,  and,  as  far  as  if:  has  refped:  to  reli- 
gion, it  is  now  a  voluntary  free-will-offering. 

With  thefe  your  offerings,  come  into  his  courts^ 
"worfhip  him  in  the  beauty  of  holinefs,  witnefs  a  good 
profeffion,  2ind  vow  obedience  to  the  Lord  of  all. 
When  you  cohie  with  your  offering  you  cannot  fay 
with  the  Ifraelite,  A  Syrian  ready  to  perifh  was 
'my  father','*  but  with  him,  you  can  fay,  "  By  one 
man  fm  entered  into  the  world.'*  You  can  coitie 
confefling  yoiir  fins,  and  declaring  your  faith  in  the 
Son  of  God-.  You  can  make  your  vows  to  God  be- 
fore all  liis  people,  and  having  made  your  vows,  each 
day  be  performing  the  fame. 

This,  my  brethren,  is  a  fummary  of  your  duty^ 
\)oth  p'reachers  and  people,  t  clofe  the  whole,  in 
the  words  of  our  Lof  d,  which  though  fljort  are  full 
of  fpirit  and  tnatterw  If  ye  know  thefe  things-, 
happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them."  God  enable  us  all  to 
Wow  and  do  his  will  for  Chrift'-s  fake.  Amen-. 


^ND  CHF  THE  SERMON. 


(  67  ) 


POSTSCRIPT 

Anticipating  the  objedions  to  the  JoregQing  Sermon. 

THE  follqwing  objedlions  will  certainly  be  made^ 
and  therefore  I  judge  it  proper  to  anticipate 

them. 

It  will  be  aflsed,  why  have  you  omitted,  as  terms 
of  communion,  the  doclrine  of  the  divine  decrees, 
original  fm,  free,  will,  perfeyerance  of  the  faints  &c, 
gic'.  &c. 

For  omitting  thefe  and  all  other  doctrines  not  enu- 
merated in  the  preceeding  Sermon,  I  add  the  follow^ 
ing,  to  the  reafo^s  already  offered,  nan^ely,  I  believe 
that  good  men  have  been  bewildered  in  the  laby- 
rinths of  thefe  do6lrines,  and  have  found  themfelveg 
at  lafl  on  oppofite  fides  of  the  queftion.  ffot  fq 
with  refpedl:  to  thofe  doctrines  that  have  been  enu- 
merated. Were  I  permitted  to  fay  any  thing  on 
this  fubjeci:  with  refpe6t  to  myfelf  it  would  be  this  \ 
that  I  have  long,  perhaps  too  long,  perplext  myfelf 
with  the  inveftigation  of  thefe  do6:rines,  that  I  have 
indudrioufly  colleded,  and  candidlv  weighed  the  ar- 
guments on  both  fides,  arid  that  I  nov/  am  a  Calvi? 
riift,  becaufe  I  fee  a  few  and  only  a  few,  more  difficul- 
ties on  the  Arminian  fide,  and  I  dare  not  now  pofi- 
tively  alFert,  becaufe  I  am  not  pofitively  affured, 
that  this  preponderance  has  not  arifen  from  early 
education.  But  with  refpe61:  to  the  doftrines  enu-r 
merated  lam  pofitive  and  peremptory,  and  conceive 
it  my  duty  to  contend  earneflly  for  them. 

It  will  be  farther  objected,  that  I  have  adopted 
the  confeiTion  of  fnith  which  contains  the  dcclrines 
of  Decrees  he,  &c.  &g.  as  the  confeflion  of  my  faith, 
the  fyfle?!}  of  doflrine  eoniained  i?i  the  fcipures.  Why 


68  P      O      S      T      3      C      R'     I      P  T. 


not  then  make  thefe  dodrines  terms  of  commu- 
r:ion. 

To  this  I  beg  leave  to  reply,  that  as  to  myfelf  I  have 
a'.lr/pted  the  confelTion  with  a  good  confcience  be- 
cau!e  in  f be  gcjicr^ 1 1  haVv^vc  th^  J\y^e??i  of  doctrine  it 
expreiies,  and  in  pariicular  I  believe  thefe  dod:rines 
aforefaid  :  but  with  reference  to  other  men  I  do  not 
believe  that  this  confeiTion  obHges  my  confcience  to 
make  every  tittle  hi  it  a  term  of  communion  to  ex- 
clude them  ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  it  obliges  me  to 
believe  every  tittle  it  contains  without  daring  to  exa- 
ndne  it  to  the  end  of  my  life  ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  it 
necefHirily  obliges  the  con.fciences  of  my  brethren  in 
the  miniflry  to  exclude  me  from  their  communion 
fnouid  I  even  differ  with  them  about  the  meaning  of 
fome  things  contained  in  this  Confefilon, — things 
which  I  believe  they  could  not  make  terms  on 
Scriptural  ground. 

My  reafons  for  all  this  are  as  follow  : 

1 .  I  do  not  know  that  the  confeflion  itfelf  enjoins 
us  to  make  every  thing  in  it  a  term.  It  is  not  the 
law  and  the  teftimony^  but  an  explication  of  them, 
and  therefore,  it  wifely  alferts,  "  that  all  fynods  and 
councils,  fmce  the  ApofUes  days,  may  err,  and  that 
many  have  erred.'' 

2.  I  would  not  make  every  tittle  in  the  confefTion 
a  termi,  becaufe  every  tittle  in  the  law  and  the  tefli- 
mony  has  not  been  made  terms.  For,  in  this  law 
and  teuimony  it  is  held  forth^  that  Chrift's  kingdom 
was  not  of  this  world,  and  yet,  we  have  feen,  that 
the  difciples  were  admitted  to  communion,  notwith- 
{landing  their  behef  that  it  was  to  be  of  this 
world. 

3.  1  would  not  make  every  tittle  in  this  confelli- 
on  a  term,  becaufe  I  do  heartily  approve  of  the  con- 
du6l  of  the  church  to  v;hich  I  belong,  in  refufing  to 
do  it.  I  mean  in  the  two  articles  of  toleration,  or 
rather  iritolerance,  and  the  power  of  the  magiiirate 
in  null ters.  of  religion.  "  Were  every  tittle  to  be  made 
a  term,  it  would  foliov/,  that  were  our  anceftors 


POSTSCRIPT.  69 

prefent,  who  150  years  ago  compiled  our  Confeflioii, 
they  mun;  excommunicate  us,  or  we  muft  excom- 
municate them.  For  we  have  publickly,  and  I 
think,  juilly  declared  our  dilFentfrom  them,  on  the 
two  articles  aforefeid. 

I  do  alfo,  heartily  heartily  approve  of  the  condudl 
of  our  church  in  holding  a  friendly  communion  and 
intercourfe  with  our  brethren  of  the  Indepen- 
dent church  in  the  Eaflcrn  States,  though  they 
diiier  from  us  in  the  form  of  church-government ; 
and  I  would  be  happy,  that  we  had  a  greater  in- 
tercourfe with  the  Baptifl:  church,  though  differing 
from  us  on  the  fabjed  of  infant-baptifm, — a  fubje^t 
held  out  in  our  Confeffion. 

In  the  laft  place,  I  could  not  make  every  article 
which  may  be  in  the  confeffion  a  term,  becaufe  there 
is  one,  which,  on  inveftigation,  I  cannot  fubfcribe. 
It  is  not  a  fyjlematick  queftion  ;  and  it  is  of  no  more, 
perhaps,  nor  of  as  much,  confequence  as  the  quefti- 
ons  about  toleration,  and  the  magiftrates  power.  It 
is  a  queftion  about  the  meaning  of  the  light  of 
nature. 

By  this  light  of  nature,  I  underftand,  all  the  na- 
tural knowledge,  whatever  that  be,  which  was  necaf- 
fary  to  be  immediately  imprefTed  on  the  mind  of  the 
firil  man,  and  which  was  necelfary  to  be  tranfmitted 
to,  and  poifelfed  by  all  men,  at  mature  age,  fuch  as, 
that  there  is  an  invifible  being .  See  Rom.  i.  19,  20, 
ii.  14, — aided  by  all  thofe  lights  of  a  traditionary  re- 
velation, of  which,  fio  nation  on  earth  feems  totally 
deftitute — and  all  enforced  by  our  ow  n  reafoning  and 
the  reafoning  of  others. 

All  this  I  would  call  the  light  of  nature,  and  all 
this,  I  would  fuppofe  a  fufncient  foundation  on 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  might  operate  the  con- 
viction, converfion,  and  fanftification  of  a  heathen- 
finner,  vv^ho  was  without  the  written  law,  had  never 
read  the  fcriptures,  nor  heard  of  the  letters  or  fylla- 
bles  that  compofe  the  words  or  fentenccs.  "  There  is 


JO  POSTSCRIPT^ 

falvation  in  no  other  name  but  the  name  of  Jefus  of 
Nazareth." 

For  is  there,  I  alk,  is  there  magic  in  the  letters  or 
fyll'dbles  that  compofe  thefe  words?  Is  it  \\\t7iame 
or  the  fubftance,  the  facrifice,  the  atonement,  the 
feed  of  the  woman,  the  prophet  whom  the  Lord  God 
railed — that  effeds  the  falvation  ?  How  know  we 
that  Adam  or  Mofes  ever  heard  the  words,  Jefus  of 
Mazareth  ?  How  know  \ve,  that  the  dodrinal  terms 
of  admillion  to  the  ahar  were  not  in  the  patriarchal 
jiad  Jewifli  ages  ?  ^'  Do  you  believe  that  the  feed  of 
the  woman  fnall  bruife  the  ferpent's  head,  or  that 
the  Lord  thy  God  will  raife  up  unto  you  a  prophet 
from  the  madfl  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren  ?  See 
Gen,  iii.  1 5. 

Ls  it  the  mere  word,  Jehovah,  Jove,  or  Lord  0 
or  is  it  the  eternal  mind  we  adore  ? 

Father  of  all,  in  every  age, 

In  every  clime  adored, 
Bv  faint,  by  favage,  and  ^  fage, 

Jehovah,  Jove,  or  Lord. 

The  light  of  nature,  in  my  view  of  the  fubiecl,  does 
fiot  exclude  revelation,  but  only  fuppofes,  that  it  is 
not  v^ritten,  nor  read,  Nor  do  reading  and  writting 
feem  effential,  though  they  may  be  necelfary,  to  re- 
velation. How  many  of  our  fathers  who  could  not 
write  nor  read.  Were  they  without  revelati- 
on ? 

The  light  of  nature,  thus  underftood,  compre- 
hends  among  other  things,  an  unwritten  reveljition, 
and  among  the  heathen,  it  has  fi/ggefted  what  a  writ- 
ten revelation  has  declared  ;vr^i\\7xt  there  is  fome  dark 
and  deep  malignity  in  guilt,  and  fome  fearful  look- 
ing for  judgement,  which  mere  forrow  cannot  re- 
move,—it  has  didated  that  fyffering  iz  the  proper 
•atonem.ent  for  fm,  for  the  heathens,  as  well  as  Jews 
and  Chrii'Hans  Ivdvc  puni/bed  offenders^  it  has  dilat- 
ed that  fome  atonement  has  been,  or  might  be,  made 
by  fuffering,  for  all  nations  under  heaven  have  pfr 


^»O     STSCRlt*t.  71 

feed  fuffering  flaughtered  beafls  on  their  altars — aftd 
finally,  it  has  didated,  that  the  benefiti^  not  guilv,  of 
fuftering  may  be  iramfered  %  for  the  language  of  the 
heathen  was, 

Anima  pro  Anwia^  corpus  pro  corpore  pQnanu 
Life  for  life,   body  for   body  do  1  lay  on  the 
altar.    See  Blair's  fermon  on  the  power  of  con- 
science. 

Who  can  fay,  whether,  on  thefe  principles^  the 
prayers  and  alms  of  Cornelius  did  liot  afcend  as  a 
memorial  up  to  God,  before  Peter  came  to  tell  him 
of  Jefus  of  Nazareth  ?  And  who  can  fay,  that,  on 
the  fame  principles,  the  prayers  and  nlms  of  a  Weft- 
ern  favage  may  not  go  up  as  a  memorial  before  God  ! 

Certainly  Peter  has  told  Cornelius,  and  his  words 
are  not  againfl  us,  that,  In  every  nation,  he  that 
feareth  God  and  worketh  righteoiifnefs,  is  accept- 
ed of  God. 

Still  it  will  be  Ifked,  XVhat  are  we  to  do  with- 
Kzreeds  and  confeffions,  ar  ftandards,  as  they  are  call- 
ed by  fome  ?  I  anfwer,  by  alking,  what  are  we  ta 
do  with  the  Scriptures  ?  Let  confeffions  be  governed 
by  the  Scriptures,  not  the  Sciptures  by  Confeffions* 

Rfepeding  creeds  and  confeffions,  the  following 
:^re  my  fentiments  in  the  words  of  another, 

The  grand  defideratum  in  confeffions,  now  is,  a 
line  of  diftindion  between  thofe  opinions  that  oiight^ 
and  that  ought  not  to  be  made  terms.  Our  church 
•has  already  dared  to  begin  to  draw  this  line,  and 
they  have  begun  where  they  ought  to  begin — by 
firft  fearching  tne  Scriptures.  For  this  line  ffiould 
be  firfh  marked  on  then. 

Though  fome  purpofes  of  order  and  tranquili- 
ty, may  be  gained  by  the  eftabliffiment  of  creeds  and 
confeffions,  yet  they  are,  at  all  times,  attended  with 
ferious  inconveniences.  They  check  enquiry.  They 
violate  liberty.  They  enfnare  the  confciences  of  the 
clergy,  by  holding  cut  temptations  to  prevaricate. 
-Tuowever,  they  may  exprefs  the  perfwafion,  or  be 
4iccommodated  to  the  controyerfies  or  the  fears  of  the 


72  POS  TSCRIPT* 

age  in  which  they  are  compofed,  in  procefs  of  time, 
and  by  the  reafon  of  the  changes  that  are  wont  to 
take  place  among  mankind,  on  religious  fubjeds 
changes,  by  the  way,  w^hich  they  have  never  pre- 
vented, "  they  come  at  length,  to  contradict  the  ac- 
tual opinions  of  the  church,  whofe  do6lrines  they 
profefs  to  contain." 

It  may  not  follow,  from  thefe  objections,  that 
creeds  and  confcllions  ought  to  be  aboliflied  ;  but  it 
follows,  that  they  ought  to  be  made  as ////z/)/^?'* — ^I^ 
w^ould  have  faid,  as  genej^al—^'  as  pofTible  and^*? 
perhaps,  this  would  have  prevented  the  neceffity  of. 
what  is'added,      that  they  be  adapted,  from  time  to 
time^  to  the  varying  fentiments  a.nd  circumftances -of 
the' church,  and  that  they  fhould,  at  n<^im\(^^  advaiKre 
one  ftep  farther  than  fome  fubfiflingCMieicefiity. re^ 
quires."        Paley's^Moral  Philofopby^ir  i-o?;  r'j,.:v: 

I  repeat  it  again,  the  grand  defider^turri  noXir) 
wanted,  is  a  line  of  dirtmftion  between "  dod'riries 
that  ought,  and  that  ought  not  to  be  made  terfn^;-' 
It  is  a  matter  of  gf^t -nioment  t^^^^He  p!e3f>e 'of 
church.    It  has  been '  begun.  ■  Somb  '  wTOng  fl:ep'5^ 
perhaps,  have  been  taken,  and  more  wrong'  ftepsJ 
may  yet  be  taken,  and  much  time  fpent,  before 
the  line  be  completely  drawn  ;  but  it  will  be  done. 
at  lair.  -  ■  ^  '^\^''-\  ■ 

When  thefe  doctrines  fhall  be'afcermmed,  'they- 
will  be  the  firfl  principles  of  an  American  book  of 
church  dilcipline.  A  book  much  wanted,  and  fof' 
the  compilation  of  which,  I  beg  leave  humbly  to  fug- 
geft  the  following  plan  : —  ,  • 

That  the  general  aliembly  appoint  a'llanding  com- 
mittee to  receiveLreportS  from  fynods,  prefbyteries, 
or  church-feflions,  of  all  the  important  .quePiions  or 
trials  that  may  come  before  them  ■;  with  a  brief  llate- 
ment  of  the  reafoning  on  both  fides:^'  and  of  the  judg- 
ment had  thereon. 

That  when  thefe  materials,  fo  co-llecced,  be  fufn- 
cient  to  form  one  volume,  it  be  laid  before  the  gene- 
ral affembly,  and  by  them,  revifed  and  pubiifhed,  for 


POSTSCRIPT.  73 

the  ufe  of  the  church  judicatures,  who  may,  in  fimi- 
lar  cafes,  apply  to  fuch  book  of  reports  (as  the  judge 
or  attorney,  to  fr  ilar  reports,  in  civil  cafes,)  for  ar- 
gument and  decifion. 

I  have  only  time  to  fugged  the  outlines  of  this  plan, 
and  lhall  only  fubjoin  a  requelt  of  fome  members  of 
the  fynod  of  the  Carolinas,  to  pubHfh  the  following 
queries  on  a  fubject  that  has  been  agitated  fince  the 
felFions  of  faid  fynod,  in  October,  1792,  being  excit- 
ed by  a  cafe  that  occured  at  that  time,  and  which, 
by  means  of  nQn-liquets^  was  decided  by  a  very  fmali 
minority  of  faid  fynod. 

The  queries  are  thefe  : 

1 .  Whether  the  admitting  of  non-liquets  in  church 
judicatures,  be  not  inconfiftent  with  the  very  princi- 
ples of  all  republican  government,  that  is,  that  a  ma- 
jority of  the  judges  fhall  decide  ? 

2.  Whether  it  may  not  deftroy  all  government  ? — ■ 
For  if  one  ]\xdigQ,  may  declin  .  to  give  judgment,  why 
not  all  ? 

3.  Whether  the  no7i-liquet  does  not  aft  inconfift- 
ently  with  himfelf,  for  he  comes  into  judicature  as  a 
judge^  fits  down  as  2ijudge^  deliberates  as  a  judge^  and 
after  all  declines  to  a6l  a  judge  ? 

4.  Whether  the  non-liquet  does  not  ad  inconfiH:- 
ently  with  himfelf,  in  another  view,  for  in  cafes  of 
trial,  his  fentiments  plainly  are,  that  the  cafe  is  doubt- 
ful^ that  is,  that  the  perfon  charged,  may  be  innocent. 
Tn  this  cafe  charity  or  mercy  fays,  he  ought  to  acquit^ 

and  yet  he  may  actually  or  effecliveiy  condemn.  For 
fuppofe  that  of  the  judges  three  are  for^  four  again  ft, 
and  two  non-hquet ;  the  non-Hquets  do,  in  this  cafe, 
condemn  the  man  whom  they  ought  to  acquit^  and 
whom  they,  could  have  acquitted. 

5.  Whether  to  admit  non-liqiiets  in  church  judi- 
•catures,  be  not  to  induce  indolence,  and  a  daftardly 

fpirit,  efpecially  in  cafes  of  trial. — Indolence,  or  in- 
attention to  the  fubject  in  queflion.  It  is  well  known, 
that  there  is  fatigue  and  pain  in  forcing  up  the  mind, 
to  take  in  all  the  circumilances,  and  after  the  com- 

K 


'postscript.  74 

bination  of  the  ciicumftances  of  a  trial,  in  order  to 
a  judgment.  None  of  this  would  be  evaded,  were 
there  no  fubterfuge  ;  but  it  may  all  be  evaded,  where 
there  is  the  fubterfuge  of  being  a  non-liquet  on  the 
quelliion  ? — Again,  whether  it  be  not  the  indulgence 
of  a  daitardly  difpohtion,  for  the  non-liquet  may  wifh 
to  evade  the  refentment  of  both  parties,  by  pleading 
that  he  gave  no  judgment  at  all  ? 

In  the  lad  place,  whether  it  be  not,  therefore,  do- 
ing injuflice  to  thofe  who  give  a  decifive  vote,  by 
rolling  over  the  whole  odium,  whatever  it  be,  on 
them  ? 

Thefe  are  the  queries,  to  which  I  fubjoin,  that,  in 
cafes  of  dehcacy,  a  judge  may  be  excufed  ;  but  in 
that  cafe,  he  ought  to  be  excuied  by  the  judicature, 
and  excufed  from  fitting  and  deliberating  as  well  as 
judging, 

A  friend  has  advifed  me  to  add  the  following, 
which  are  the  words  written  and  fpoken  at  Salim, 
on  the  fubjecl  of  family  vifiting. 

It  may  be  thought  (Irange  that  I  have  not  named 
family-vifitation  among  the  duties  of  the  minifter  of 
the  Gofpel.  The  reafon  is,  1  have  not  found  this  to 
be  a  duty  from  the  Scriptures,  nor  have  I  been  able 
to  find  at  what  age  it  began.  I  praQife  it,  becaufe  I 
promifed  to  do  fo  at  my  ordination,  before  1  had  in- 
veiligated  this  fubjedl: :  but  were  I  

Here  followed  the  refolution  mentioned  before  in 
theno:eon  tho  fubjed,  to  which  the  reader  is  refer- 
red. 

The  reafon  why  T  did  not  infert  this  before,  is, 
that  I  did  not  think  it  material.  And  the  reafon  of 
Inferting  it  now  is,  left  it  fhould  be  faid,  that  I  had 
been  evafive  or  uncandid  in  reprefenting  any  part  of 
the  fubjed  in  debate. 


REV.    MR.     A  U  S  T  I  N's 

^    ^    M    Ji    0  Jf, 

INTRODUCTORY  to  his 

MINISTRT  WORCESTER. 


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